Betel nut is a small seed commonly chewed in the Pacific region of Micronesia. For many, it's more than a habit — it's tradition. But betel nut is also a carcinogen, linked to a host of health issues like oral cancer, diabetes, and even cardiovascular diseases. KPRG's Naina Rao explores why so many people continue to chew it, despite the known risks.
TRANSCRIPT
NAINA RAO: The signs are not hard to miss. "No betel nut chewing." And they can be found everywhere, in most public spaces. Walls, benches, even at grocery stores. The reason? The messy red stains from spitting. Betel nut is a small, oval shaped seed with a hard shell and a fibrous interior. Chewers often mix it with pepper leaf, tobacco and lime powder to enhance its stimulant effects. Spitting it out creates red stains because the nut contains natural pigments that produce a deep red colored juice when mixed with those ingredients. But some people are likely going to ignore those 'no chewing' signs, because betel nut isn't just a habit... It's part of life.
MICHAEL BEVACQUA: This is something that goes back culturally hundreds of years, perhaps thousands of years.
RAO: That's Michael Bevacqua, curator of the Guam Museum and a cultural historian.
BEVACQUA: If you are part of an Austronesian culture, there's a good chance that pugua — Betel Nut — has some part in your culture.
RAO: He says betel nut was historically used when two families agreed to bethrote their children. But those days are long gone.
BEVACQUA: One of the ways that betel nut has kind of stayed the same is that it's this recreational thing. You chew pugua for fun. But it's also the social thing. You chew it to share, right? So when you visit somebody, if you're hanging out, you offer it to people.
RAO: That's why Bevacqua says people keep chewing it to this day. But it also comes with real health risks. That's according to Dr Yvette Paulino, a health sciences professor at the University of Guam, her research has revealed that betel nut is carcinogenic, which can contribute to oral cancer, and when people chew it with tobacco introduced to the Pacific through European Trade centuries ago, the risks get even higher.
YVETTE PAULINO: So aside from being a carcinogen, you're also looking at metabolic effects. Diabetes is another one of those. Cardiovascular disease is another one of those. And so, it affects many of the other systems in the body
RAO: In Guam, CHamorus experience oral cancer mortality rates six times higher than those in the continental U.S. That's a disparity researchers link to betel nut use. But for some, the benefits outweigh the risks.
PAULINO: It helps with their digestion. It keeps people up, you know, when they need to stay up.
RAO: That's a big reason why Chtina keeps chewing with tobacco. She's originally from Chuuk and now works at a grocery store on island. Her family chewed betel nut regularly, which was how she was introduced to it.
CHTINA: I want to try to stop.
RAO: She did. Briefly. After a health scare.
CHTINA: When I got sick, that's the time my doctor told me I'm gonna stop chewing, 'cause I know it's not good.
RAO: When she started feeling better, the craving returned,
CHTINA: And I really want to chew again. I cannot ignore, when I see the betel nut... when I see betel nut, I want to chew. Oh, you just can't stop? Yeah. Like, it's like, addictive. Yeah, addictive.
RAO: She's right. Betel nut is considered the fourth most addictive substance in the world. Kawehi Morton is aware of these risks. A CHamoru from Guam, she grew up with most of her family chewing it.
KAWEHI MORTON: You know, it's just something we did. Hang out, chew pugua, talk, play mahjong.
RAO: After learning about the risks, she doesn't swallow the nut anymore. She spits it out. She doesn't chew it with tobacco or lime powder either. But she doesn't plan on quitting.
MORTON: I love the flavor, I love the effects, and I feel more bonded with my culture in doing so.
RAO: And as long as betel nut remains a cultural staple, those 'no chewing' signs? They might just keep getting ignored. For KPRG's Current Perspectives, I'm Naina Rao.
KPRG News transcripts are created on a rush deadline by a KPRG contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of KPRG's programming is the audio record.
