Betel in BurMyanmar

In the West when you want a buzz you maybe go for a double shot of espresso. Here, and across many parts of Asia, you go for areca, commonly known as betel.

It’s chewed, not swallowed. Along with chopped-up pieces of the nut, the plug in your mouth may contain regular tobacco, honey, and limestone ground into a paste. The blood-red juice leaves your teeth and gums looking like you just got in a fight. After you’ve savored the taste for a while, and your lips and tongue have become a little numb, you spit the juice out onto the street.

You needn’t look far to find a hit. Sidewalks and curbs in Yangon feature plenty of visual clues about where this ever-present product gets bought and used. Near traffic lights you also find brown stains on the road that suggest drivers are frequent betel chewers.