betel nut palm plant Betel nut, also known as Pinang or Areca nut, is the seed of the Betel Palm (*Areca catechu*). Betel nuts are often chewed for their helpful effects, which are caused by the relatively high levels of alkaloids in the seed. Chewing betel nuts is an important and popular cultural activity in many Asian countries WIKIPEDIA:Betel_nut areca catechu plant used for medicine requires discussion