Do you eat Beetle Nut?

imitation · #1 02-20-2007, 10:27 AM

My girlfriend is from a province in China where they constantly chew on this stuff, everytime I go back I pick up a supply and have been munching on it for like a year straight now. I love it but it's banned in Australia, do you guys have it in the USA? Or is anyone else into it?

kyleb · #2 02-20-2007, 10:27 AM

wtf is THAT

imitation · #3 02-20-2007, 10:29 AM

I only know the chinese name but this is the translation i have from a friend

testaaja · #4 02-20-2007, 10:34 AM

[ QUOTE ]
wtf is THAT

[/ QUOTE ]
http://www.erowid.org/plants/betel/betel.shtml

imitation · #5 02-20-2007, 10:36 AM

My gf says it's very famous in Taiwan, they have special sexy girls beside the road to sell it.

sharkbitten · #6 02-20-2007, 11:03 AM

I've never been able to find it in the US, although I haven't tried very hard to look for it. I've heard that some oriental markets might sell it but I've never confirmed that.

I tried it about 15 years ago when me and some friends went to Palau and Guam out in the Pacific. One of my friends lived in Guam for a while and he knew about it. We were chewing it like mad for the week we were there. We could get a bag for like $5 and that would keep us feeling pretty good for a while.
The first time I tried it, it took a while to kick in. But when it did, my ears turned red and I had a very nice feeling. The friend who had lived there turned around and laughed when he saw my ears. He had told us that would happen.

Thanks for bringing back those memories. I haven't thought about Beetle Nut in a while. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

octopi · #7 02-20-2007, 02:39 PM

Gross. No. Just no.

imitation · #8 02-20-2007, 02:46 PM

octopi whats your point? many people before the last 30yrs had terrible dental hygiene, my gfs countryside neighbour is 70 eats about 20 beetle nuts a day, smokes 2 packs a day and still works his fields every day, plays poker until 4 in the morning and looks about 50.

octopi · #9 02-20-2007, 02:49 PM

Just in terms of ill effects from long term use, I think that qat and betel are two of the worst offenders. But, then again, I like my teeth.

imitation · #10 02-20-2007, 02:50 PM

now i'm just wondering is it actually bad or is it more and effect of the fact that the kinds of people who eat it generally are from backgrounds where brushing your teeth is like non existant.