Recently, China has been continuously purchasing areca nuts from Vietnam, causing the price of this fruit to reach record highs.
According to Thanh Niên newspaper, the price of fresh areca nuts in places such as Quảng Ngãi, Đắk Lắk, Tây Ninh, Tiền Giang, and Kiên Giang ranges from 80,000 to 85,000 VND per kilogram. Meanwhile, in the Northern region like Bắc Ninh, the price can soar to 90,000 VND per kilogram due to limited supply.
Local traders who harvest areca nuts directly reported that the reason for the price increase and its maintenance at a high level for several months is due to China’s lack of supply, leading to an increase in imports from Vietnam, Thanh Niên reported.
Chinese Culinary Uses for Areca Nuts
First and foremost, Chinese people often process areca nuts into areca candy. Areca candy has a sweet taste and is commonly used as a snack, providing a refreshing and cool sensation in the mouth when consumed. Chinese people often eat areca candy to relieve sore throats, keep their bodies warm, or when they feel fatigued and need to stay alert.
Additionally, in China, areca nuts are also an ingredient for various dishes. Residents in Hunan Province often stir-fry duck meat with dried areca nuts to enhance the flavor of the dish. In Jiangxi Province, people commonly simmer dried areca nuts with quail or cook porridge to nourish the body and improve digestion.
According to statistics published in 2020 on The Paper in China, sales of areca-related products have been increasing at a rate of 20% annually.
Chinese people often consume areca candy or add areca nuts to soups and stews. (Photo: hsieh.tsaihua, Sohu)
Health Benefits of Areca Nuts
Researcher Trần Lương Thu, working at the Tropical Agricultural Science Institute of China, stated that areca nuts are one of the important medicinal materials in China.
Areca nuts have a bitter and astringent taste, helping to stimulate the stomach and intestines, reduce swelling, strengthen the spleen, regulate the central nervous system, expel parasites, and are beneficial for joints while preventing malaria.
According to experts, the arecoline contained in areca nuts can paralyze the nervous system of parasites, helping to destroy types of tapeworms such as pork tapeworm, beef tapeworm, and liver flukes, and eliminate them from the body. Regular consumption of areca nuts can also help increase intestinal motility, stimulate the production of digestive juices, and enhance appetite.
In addition to its medicinal effects, the alkaloids such as arecoline and arecailin found in areca nuts can also affect the human central nervous system, making people feel happy and providing stress relief, creating a sense of euphoria similar to antidepressants.
The continuous chewing of areca nuts promotes the rapid absorption of alkaloids through the oral mucosa. Typically, within 5 minutes, the body will experience physical and psychological changes, and these symptoms can last for 2-3 hours.
Areca nuts are one of the important medicinal materials.
Things to Note When Consuming Areca Nuts
The alkaloids in areca nuts can also cause reactions such as facial flushing, increased body temperature, and light sweating. For those consuming areca nuts for the first time, they may experience unusual symptoms such as dizziness, chest tightness, sore throat, and may not feel relaxed, euphoric, or comfortable.
Additionally, consuming areca nuts can be addictive due to the stimulating effects on the central nervous system, leading to quick relaxation. Therefore, experts recommend that individuals should limit excessive consumption of areca nuts.
