herrokitty
07-11-2004, 02:03 AM
DEEZ NUTS. No, just betel nuts.
http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=194532
? 1 C! Thu Apr 19 2001 at 6:15:59
Natives of Taiwan have been chewing betel nuts for perhaps 4,000-4,500 years; human remains found on the southern tip of Taiwan have shown tooth damage caused by chewing the nuts. Records of early contact between Taiwan's aboriginal people and Han and European explorers also refer to the practice of chewing betel nuts. The practice briefly fell out of favor in the 1960s and 1970s, but greatly increased in popularity in the 1980s and remains highly popular today.
In Northern Taiwan, betel nut vendors cut an incision in the nut, insert some limestone paste, and insert a small piece of the stem from the lou hiu flower. In the south, a whole nut is served wrapped in a lou hiu leaf. In either location, the lou hiu will cause a burning sensation in the mouth and dizziness for new chewers, but regular usage changes the sensation to mild intoxication and relaxation. Betel nuts are particularly popular in the winter, as chewing them has been shown to raise body heat. Chewing betel nuts produces a mouthful of red-colored saliva; unprepared tourists are often surprised to see nut-chewers apparently spitting blood on the streets.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betel_nut
Areca nut, or pinang, more commonly known as betel nut, is the seed of the betel palm or Areca catechu, a species of palm tree which grows throughout the Pacific, Asia, and parts of east Africa. The most important active principles of betel nut are arecaine and arecoline, alkaloids which are comparable to nicotine in its stimulating, mildly intoxicating and appetite-suppressing effects on the mind. It also contains the alkaloids arecaidine, arecolidine, guracine (guacine), guvacoline and a number of others that have not yet been studied extensively.
Betel chewing is a part of many Asian cultures, and preparation techniques vary from region to region. The nut is either slivered or grated, often flavored with spices according to local tradition and usually wrapped in a betel leaf (note: betel leaf comes from the betel pepper plant, Piper betle, which is not botanically related to the betel palm, Areca catechu), along with some lime (calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide) to better extract the alkaloids. Some people also chew tobacco with betel nut. After about 20 minutes of chewing, the fibrous residue which remains of the nut is spat on the street, where it remains visible due to its characteristic bright red color. Trails of bright red sputum lining the sidewalks are a sure indication of the popularity of betel chewing in an area.
Regular betel chewing causes the teeth and gums to be stained red; however, it may also reduce cavities.
Betel chewing is addictive. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) regards betel nut to be a known human carcinogen.
Powdered betel nut is a constituent in tooth powders. Other medicinal uses include the removal of tapeworms and other intestinal parasites by swallowing a few teaspoons of powdered betel nut, or by taking tablets containing the extracted alkaloids.
In Taiwan, betel nut shops typically have large picture windows behind which a young attractive woman who is usually not wearing very much is wrapping betel nuts. (See betel nut beauty).
In India, betel (called paan or pan) chewing is as popular as tobacco smoking once was in the United States. Paan is often served wrapped in a betel leaf, as described above. A ground mixture of betel nuts and other spices, called paan masala is increasingly popular.
In the United States, betel nut is not a controlled or specially taxed substance and may be found in some Asian grocery stores.
Penang Island is named after pinang.
http://www.dawn.com/2004/06/24/ebr5.htm
Betel nuts worth $60m come via illegal channel
By Parvaiz Ishfaq Rana
KARACHI, June 23: Betelnuts (Chaliya) worth $60 million or Rs3.6 billion was consumed by Pakistanis during last eighteen months. Bad as they may be, the worst is that all of them were either smuggled into the country or came through official channels but on 'mis-declaration.'
Looking at the huge sum that goes out of the country for illegal or misdeclared import, one could easily say that Pakistanis appear to be one of the biggest consumers of betelnuts (Chaliya) in at least South Asian region.
Besides betelnuts, Pakistanis are also among the major consumers of tea. An advertisement run by a tea blending company boasts no less than 1.4 million cups of that company's tea alone, is being consumed every hour. How much would it amount to if tea cups of all blending companies are put together, could be anybody's guess.
As for betelnuts there had been no import of the commodity for the last eighteen months but yet it was freely available throughout the country. A leading importer of Jodia Bazar told Dawn, on request of anonymity, that presently betelnut prices are being quoted in world markets at $800 per ton which means that 50,000 tons cost around $40 million per annum.
The same will be $60 million or Rs 3.6 billion for 18 months imports. He said the question is that from where the demand of around 50,000 tons betelnuts (per annum) was being met during this long period?
For sure it was being smuggled or made its way through official channels on mis-declaration because the commodity was having high customs duty of 25 per cent which was quite lucrative for sharing high profits there on, he replied.
The import of betelnuts came to a sudden halt during the later months of 2002, following a row between customs authorities and couple of importers over the quality and fitness of the commodity for human consumption. As a result the customs officials detained some of the containers.
As the issue became public the subsequent consignments of betelnuts were also detained by the authorities. According to importers, presently 2000 containers each with a load of around 25 tons of betelnuts are lying at the Karachi Port.
Ever since there had been status quo as both the sides were not ready to change their position over the criteria of checking or inspecting of betelnuts quality. The customs authorities had been insisting that the lab test should be carried out by the Hussain Ebrahim Jamal Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi.
The importers are of the view that PCSIR Laboratories are better equipped to deal with such matters. As a result of long dual many importers went bankrupt and some even died on coming under tremendous pressure and sustaining huge financial losses, importers said.
The prolonged crisis resulted in a halt of betelnuts imports through official channels. In the past around 35,000 tons of betelnuts used to enter the country through official channels and an estimated quantity of 15,000 tons was smuggled to meet the total demand of around 50,000 tons per annum.
However, ever since the importers have stopped importing betelnuts the entire quantity of 50,000 tons was making its way through illegal channels. This did not only resulted in loss of government revenue but there is also no guarantee that what quality of betelnuts is reaching the end consumer which was the contentious issue between importers and customs authorities.
Owing to this dispute import of betelnuts through official channels came to an end. However, the rationalization of duty rates on import of betelnuts from 25 per cent to 5 per cent and reduction of withholding tax from 6 per cent to 2 per cent is expected to revive the import through official channels.
According to market reports betelnut prices have already started coming down. Before the budget it was being quoted between Rs200 to Rs225 per kg but now it is available at Rs150 to Rs175 per kg.
But there was a greater need that both the sides should also come in agreement over lab testing because there should be no compromise, what so ever, when public health was in question. The government should put conditions of fumigation, quarantine and lab test (certification) from exporting countries end as well.
The government could only ensure consumption of quality betelnuts if it was imported officially because nothing could be done when the commodity reaches end consumer through other channels, particularly smuggling.
I was talking to my friend who just got back from China and he said he'd have his dad bring some back if we wanted to try it. Two of the party have already done this, and say NO, THIS SUCKS. BURNING.
I say, hey, I'll try anything once, probably.
http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=194532
? 1 C! Thu Apr 19 2001 at 6:15:59
Natives of Taiwan have been chewing betel nuts for perhaps 4,000-4,500 years; human remains found on the southern tip of Taiwan have shown tooth damage caused by chewing the nuts. Records of early contact between Taiwan's aboriginal people and Han and European explorers also refer to the practice of chewing betel nuts. The practice briefly fell out of favor in the 1960s and 1970s, but greatly increased in popularity in the 1980s and remains highly popular today.
In Northern Taiwan, betel nut vendors cut an incision in the nut, insert some limestone paste, and insert a small piece of the stem from the lou hiu flower. In the south, a whole nut is served wrapped in a lou hiu leaf. In either location, the lou hiu will cause a burning sensation in the mouth and dizziness for new chewers, but regular usage changes the sensation to mild intoxication and relaxation. Betel nuts are particularly popular in the winter, as chewing them has been shown to raise body heat. Chewing betel nuts produces a mouthful of red-colored saliva; unprepared tourists are often surprised to see nut-chewers apparently spitting blood on the streets.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betel_nut
Areca nut, or pinang, more commonly known as betel nut, is the seed of the betel palm or Areca catechu, a species of palm tree which grows throughout the Pacific, Asia, and parts of east Africa. The most important active principles of betel nut are arecaine and arecoline, alkaloids which are comparable to nicotine in its stimulating, mildly intoxicating and appetite-suppressing effects on the mind. It also contains the alkaloids arecaidine, arecolidine, guracine (guacine), guvacoline and a number of others that have not yet been studied extensively.
Betel chewing is a part of many Asian cultures, and preparation techniques vary from region to region. The nut is either slivered or grated, often flavored with spices according to local tradition and usually wrapped in a betel leaf (note: betel leaf comes from the betel pepper plant, Piper betle, which is not botanically related to the betel palm, Areca catechu), along with some lime (calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide) to better extract the alkaloids. Some people also chew tobacco with betel nut. After about 20 minutes of chewing, the fibrous residue which remains of the nut is spat on the street, where it remains visible due to its characteristic bright red color. Trails of bright red sputum lining the sidewalks are a sure indication of the popularity of betel chewing in an area.
Regular betel chewing causes the teeth and gums to be stained red; however, it may also reduce cavities.
Betel chewing is addictive. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) regards betel nut to be a known human carcinogen.
Powdered betel nut is a constituent in tooth powders. Other medicinal uses include the removal of tapeworms and other intestinal parasites by swallowing a few teaspoons of powdered betel nut, or by taking tablets containing the extracted alkaloids.
In Taiwan, betel nut shops typically have large picture windows behind which a young attractive woman who is usually not wearing very much is wrapping betel nuts. (See betel nut beauty).
In India, betel (called paan or pan) chewing is as popular as tobacco smoking once was in the United States. Paan is often served wrapped in a betel leaf, as described above. A ground mixture of betel nuts and other spices, called paan masala is increasingly popular.
In the United States, betel nut is not a controlled or specially taxed substance and may be found in some Asian grocery stores.
Penang Island is named after pinang.
http://www.dawn.com/2004/06/24/ebr5.htm
Betel nuts worth $60m come via illegal channel
By Parvaiz Ishfaq Rana
KARACHI, June 23: Betelnuts (Chaliya) worth $60 million or Rs3.6 billion was consumed by Pakistanis during last eighteen months. Bad as they may be, the worst is that all of them were either smuggled into the country or came through official channels but on 'mis-declaration.'
Looking at the huge sum that goes out of the country for illegal or misdeclared import, one could easily say that Pakistanis appear to be one of the biggest consumers of betelnuts (Chaliya) in at least South Asian region.
Besides betelnuts, Pakistanis are also among the major consumers of tea. An advertisement run by a tea blending company boasts no less than 1.4 million cups of that company's tea alone, is being consumed every hour. How much would it amount to if tea cups of all blending companies are put together, could be anybody's guess.
As for betelnuts there had been no import of the commodity for the last eighteen months but yet it was freely available throughout the country. A leading importer of Jodia Bazar told Dawn, on request of anonymity, that presently betelnut prices are being quoted in world markets at $800 per ton which means that 50,000 tons cost around $40 million per annum.
The same will be $60 million or Rs 3.6 billion for 18 months imports. He said the question is that from where the demand of around 50,000 tons betelnuts (per annum) was being met during this long period?
For sure it was being smuggled or made its way through official channels on mis-declaration because the commodity was having high customs duty of 25 per cent which was quite lucrative for sharing high profits there on, he replied.
The import of betelnuts came to a sudden halt during the later months of 2002, following a row between customs authorities and couple of importers over the quality and fitness of the commodity for human consumption. As a result the customs officials detained some of the containers.
As the issue became public the subsequent consignments of betelnuts were also detained by the authorities. According to importers, presently 2000 containers each with a load of around 25 tons of betelnuts are lying at the Karachi Port.
Ever since there had been status quo as both the sides were not ready to change their position over the criteria of checking or inspecting of betelnuts quality. The customs authorities had been insisting that the lab test should be carried out by the Hussain Ebrahim Jamal Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi.
The importers are of the view that PCSIR Laboratories are better equipped to deal with such matters. As a result of long dual many importers went bankrupt and some even died on coming under tremendous pressure and sustaining huge financial losses, importers said.
The prolonged crisis resulted in a halt of betelnuts imports through official channels. In the past around 35,000 tons of betelnuts used to enter the country through official channels and an estimated quantity of 15,000 tons was smuggled to meet the total demand of around 50,000 tons per annum.
However, ever since the importers have stopped importing betelnuts the entire quantity of 50,000 tons was making its way through illegal channels. This did not only resulted in loss of government revenue but there is also no guarantee that what quality of betelnuts is reaching the end consumer which was the contentious issue between importers and customs authorities.
Owing to this dispute import of betelnuts through official channels came to an end. However, the rationalization of duty rates on import of betelnuts from 25 per cent to 5 per cent and reduction of withholding tax from 6 per cent to 2 per cent is expected to revive the import through official channels.
According to market reports betelnut prices have already started coming down. Before the budget it was being quoted between Rs200 to Rs225 per kg but now it is available at Rs150 to Rs175 per kg.
But there was a greater need that both the sides should also come in agreement over lab testing because there should be no compromise, what so ever, when public health was in question. The government should put conditions of fumigation, quarantine and lab test (certification) from exporting countries end as well.
The government could only ensure consumption of quality betelnuts if it was imported officially because nothing could be done when the commodity reaches end consumer through other channels, particularly smuggling.
I was talking to my friend who just got back from China and he said he'd have his dad bring some back if we wanted to try it. Two of the party have already done this, and say NO, THIS SUCKS. BURNING.
I say, hey, I'll try anything once, probably.