Now, in Vietnam, the price of fresh betel nut has increased by a record. In the southern, the price ranges from 80,000 – 85,000 VND/kg. Meanwhile, in the northern, the price is up to 90,000 VND/kg due to limited supply.
Traders said that the price of betel nut has increased and remained high for many months due to China’s lack of supply, so it increased its import of betel nut from Vietnam.
CHINESE PEOPLE USE BETEL NUT TO MAKE MANY DISHES
The Chinese often make betel nut candies. These candies have has a sweet taste, often used as snack. When eaten, they will bring a cool and refreshing feeling in the oral cavity. Chinese people often eat betel nut candies to fight sore throat, keep their body warm, or stay awake when they feel tired.
Chinese people often eat betel nut candy or use it in soups and stews.
Besides, in China, betel nut is also an ingredient to prepare many different dishes. People in Hunan (China) often stir-fry duck meat with dried betel nut to enhance the flavor of the dish. In Jiangxi (China), they often stew dried betel nut with quail or cook porridge to nourish the body and improve digestion.
According to statistics in 2020 on the Chinese news site The Paper, sales of betel nut-related items increased at a rate of 20% per year.
BENEFITS OF BETEL NUTS
Areca is one of important medicinal herbs in China.
According to experts, betel nut contains arecolin can paralyze the nervous system of parasites, help kill flukes and eliminate them from the body. Regularly eating betel nut can helps increase cravings.
In addition to treatment effects, alkaloid active ingredients such as arecolin and arecailin in betel nut can also affect the human central nervous system. This makes people feel happy, reduce mental stress, and enhance feelings of euphoria similar to antidepressants