Health Benefits of Betel Leaf

Excessive chewing of Betel leaves with tobacco can lead to cancer and other health problems.

What is Betel Leaf?
Betel is a leaf of the vine that belongs to Piperaceae family which includes kava and pepper. It is a mild stimulant and has medicinal properties. It is a creeper and is evergreen. It has glossy leaves that are heart-shaped as well as white catkin. It originated from the South as well as South East Asia (Sri Lanka and India).

In Urdu, Bengali and Hindi, the betel leaf is known as Paan. Being a creeper it requires a pole or a compatible tree to grow. Fertile as well a high lands are best for cultivating betel leaves. Saline, waterlogged and alkaline soils are good for growing this plant.

Betel plant is slender and aromatic, which roots at the nodes.

Ingredients in betel Leaf:

• It contains protein.(3.1%)
• Fat (0.8%)
• Minerals 2.3%
• Fiber. 2.3 %
• Carbohydrates (6.1%)
• Calcium
• Riboflavin
• Carotene
• Niacin
• Thiamine
• Vitamin
• Sugar
• Tannins
• Diastases
• Also contains essential oil

Health Benefits of Betel Leaf:

Headache: In order to get relief from the problem cut one of the big leaf into 2 parts. Gently warm the leaf on medium fire and put it on your temple. The topic present in it would give fast relief as well as its aroma would help further.

Worm Infestation: In order to get relief from worm infestation, chew 1 leaf and spit out its juices. It would help in getting rid of small larvae from the mouth and reduce the problem.

Cough and Cold: The expectorant property of Betel leaf helps in getting rid of solid phlegm and expels it out. Chew 1-2 leaves 2-3 times a day to get relief. In order to make it better and most effective use it with holy basil and honey. Soak the leaves in mustard oil and warm it and apply them on the chest to get relief from cough and to make breathing easy.

Fungal Infestation: Patches due to fungal infection on face, chest and back could be healed using betel. Make a mixture of betel and onion and apply it on the affected areas.

Filariasis: Make a paste with 6-7 betel leaves and mix small amount of rock salt to it. Take the paste with warm water in the morning for 1-2 weeks and it would start showing relief from the problem.

Urination: In case of problem during urination a mixture of milk, sugar and betel leaves could be used to get rid of the ailment.

Whitlow: Whitlow could be cured within 4-5 days. Make a paste of betel leaves and quicklime and apply it on the infected finger. Wrap a cloth around it. Remove the pack before going to bed. Repeat it for 4-5 days.

Other Remedies

• Cooling as well as analgesic properties
• Useful remedy for boils. The leaf is warmed up till it is soft and coated with castor oil and placed over the inflammation part. Every few hours one must replace it. After some applications the boil will rupture and will empty the purulent matter in it. This application can be done at night and removed in the morning
• Helpful in treating nervous exhaustion as well as debility
• The juice of the some betel leaves and a teaspoonful of honey can be used as a tonic. One can have it twice in a day
• Betel leaves have diuretic properties
• The leaves are useful in pulmonary affection in old age and childhood
• Effective in treating sore throat
• Helpful in treating inflammation such as orchitis (inflammation of testes) and arthritis
• Leaves are useful in healing of wounds. Apply the extracted juice of some leaves on the affected part. Then wrap the betel leaf over the wound and bandage it. The wound will heal within 2 days with the help of single application
• Helps secretion of milk in breasts during lactation. One has to apply leaves smeared with oil on the breast
• Relieves one of ear aches
• Some components prevalent in betel leaves may help in diabetes

Betel leaves are very popular in the East. Many chew the leaves. Many in the East have it after a course of meal.

Other Names:
Hindi: Pan
Telugu: Thamalapaku
Kannada: Vilyadele
Tamil: Vathalaikkodi
Malayalam: Vetulakkoli
Sanskrit: Thambulavalli