Nuts
Betel Nut
Betel nut, properly areca nut from the palm Areca catechu, is a cultural stimulant seed of South and Southeast Asia, traditionally sliced or crushed for quids with betel leaf and lime. The taste is astringent and warming, nothing like mild dessert almonds or cashews. It is not a mainstream baking oilseed or pastry inclusion; health guidance and local regulation apply to areca use. Dried nuts keep in cool, dry stores and are judged by hard aroma and clean hardness—mouldy or chemical-smelling lots fail traditional standards. Do not substitute areca into Western cookie formulas as if it were a sweet snack nut. Treat as pharmacologically active and culturally specific, distinct from typical tree-nut allergens, and never as a children’s trail mix item.
Track this ingredient
Cuts & parts
Breeds & varieties
A sample of named types with their own origin and culinary profiles.
Characteristics
Preparations
Provenance
Sources
Traits
Nutrition and pairings
Nutrition
Typical values per 100 g edible portion. Nutrient names open the reference page.
Nutrition Facts
Per 100 g edible portion
Amount per 100 g
- Total Fat 48.5 g
- Saturated Fat 7.16 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat 28.1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 13.3 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Sodium 4.84 mg
- Salt 0.01 g
- Total Carbohydrate 18.6 g
- Dietary Fibre 8.48 g
- Total Sugars 3.89 g
- Complex / starch 4.73 g
- Protein 16.9 g
- Water 11.5 g
- Energy 578 kcal
- Water 11.5 g
- Carbohydrates 18.6 g
- Sugars 3.89 g
- Monosaccharides 2.72 g
- Disaccharides 1.16 g
- Starch 4.73 g
- Amylose 1.18 g
- Amylopectin 3.55 g
- Digestible Starch 4.02 g
- Resistant Starch 0.47 g
- Fibre 8.48 g
- Soluble Fibre 2.97 g
- Insoluble Fibre 5.51 g
- Protein 16.9 g
- Plant Protein 16 g
- Fat 48.5 g
- Saturated Fat 7.16 g
- Monounsaturated Fat 28.1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 13.3 g
- Vitamins 89.8 mg
- Vitamin A 20 µg
- Vitamin B1 — Thiamine 0.21 mg
- Vitamin B2 — Riboflavin 0.16 mg
- Vitamin B3 — Niacin 2.07 mg
- Vitamin B5 — Pantothenic Acid 0.51 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.15 mg
- Vitamin B7 — Biotin 15.1 µg
- Vitamin B9 — Folate 39.9 µg
- Vitamin C 2 mg
- Vitamin E 4.89 mg
- Vitamin K 4.8 µg
- Minerals 213 mg
- Major Minerals 205 mg
- Trace Minerals 8.5 mg
- Salt 0.01 g
- Sodium Chloride 0.01 g
Vitamins
vitamin-c: 2 · vitamin-a: 20 · vitamin-b1-thiamine: 0.21 · vitamin-b2-riboflavin: 0.16 · vitamin-b3-niacin: 2.07 · vitamin-b5-pantothenic-acid: 0.51 · vitamin-b6: 0.15 · vitamin-b7-biotin: 15.1 · vitamin-b9-folate: 39.9 · vitamin-e: 4.89 · vitamin-k: 4.8 ·
Minerals
Sodium: 4.84 · Potassium: 170 · Calcium: 30 · Iron: 0.5 · Zinc: 3 · Iodine: 5 ·
Nuts pack energy-dense oils, plant protein, and fibre; sodium stays low until salted.
History
Areca nut chewing with betel leaf was established across South and Southeast Asian societies.
Classical and medieval Indian sources document areca in ritual and social exchange.
Trade networks carried areca nuts widely through the Indian Ocean world.
Public-health scrutiny of areca use coexisted with continued traditional consumption in many regions.