It's really a horrifying planet when you look close enough by WISHIMAY

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WISHIMAY

It's really a horrifying planet when you look close enough
Sunday, January 31, 2021

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-31921207

It is used by almost a tenth of the world's population. It gives people a buzz equivalent to six cups of coffee and is used variously as a symbol of love, marriage and a cure for indigestion and impotence.

But it is also leading tens of thousands to an early grave.

The culprit? The humble betel nut.

Found across Asia, these nuts are harvested from the Areca palm and are chewed for their warming glow and stimulating properties.

Such is its effectiveness, that alongside nicotine, alcohol and caffeine, betel nuts are believed to be one of the most popular mind-altering substances in the world.

Although used by women and children, the nuts are especially popular among working-age men, who chew to stay awake through long hours of driving, fishing or working on construction sites.

But the short-lived benefits come at a terrible cost.

High rates of oral cancer are destroying the lives of many who buy betel nuts, often decades after their first taste.

My grandma still says "Nuts are soo healthy" to me every time she has nuts in something and I have to say "NO THANKS", even though she knows I don't eat them and WHY I don't eat them.

So many people have never heard the term "anti-nutrients" or would even understand what that is. They really think everything in all fruits and veg is good and healthy for you.

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Tuesday, September 9, 2025 5:59 PM