Commentary on Lee etal. (2014): Betel-quid-when East encounters West

摘要

In the late 19th to early 20th centuries, betel-quid (or betel nut) was popular among the nobles and the wealthy in Chinese society. They would carry the small, delicate betel-quid bags (or boxes) with them and gave away betel-quid as a present on social occasions. Early Chinese medicine books and cookbooks [1] mention the many beneficial effects betel-quid has on health. For example, betel-quid can facilitate digestion and ease hangover.