In India, betel leaves—also referred to as “paan”—are widely utilised for chewing or religious purposes. In addition to its many health benefits, it can be used as a mouth freshener. It can be found in East African, tropical, and subtropical nations such as the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and India. This leaf has a considerable amount of calcium, thiamine, niacin, and vitamin C.
Why Should You Chew Betel Leaf?
These are the 5 reasons you should chew betel leaf:-
Improve digestion: Chewing betel leaves after a meal produces saliva, which aids in the breakdown of food.
Improves oral health: Betel leaves have long been used as a mouth freshener, but they also have antibacterial qualities that aid in the battle against oral bacteria.
Heals wounds: Because panan has healing qualities, traditional medicine has made extensive use of it.
Antioxidant properties: Flavonoids, which are abundant in betel leaves, help shield bodily cells from oxidative damage caused by free radicals.
Anti-inflammatory properties: Its anti-inflammatory qualities aid in the treatment of inflammatory conditions like arthritis and asthma.
Health Benefits of Betel Leaf
There are numerous health advantages to betel leaves, some of them are as follows:
Use of betel leaves for fungal infection: Polyphenols found in betel aid in the defence against fungal infections, such as fungal proliferation.
When treating an oral fungal infection, these leaves are utilised as an antifungal agent in mouthwash.
Use of betel for gastric ulcers: Because of its gastroactive qualities, betel is used to treat stomach ulcers. It reduces the amount of gastric acid produced and thickens the mucus lining the stomach.
Use of betel leaves for diabetes: Betel leaves aid in lowering a diabetic’s blood sugar levels.
Use of betel leaves for headache: Betel leaves offer a cooling impact and pain-relieving qualities that help with severe headache relief.
Use of betel leaves in cancer: This leaf helps prevent cancer and contains anti-cancer qualities. A phenolic-related molecule found in betel leaf extract has the ability to stop malignant cells from growing.
When Is The Best Time To Eat Betel Leaf?
Betel leaf can be consumed in the evening before going to bed to allow its active ingredients to be absorbed into the bloodstream over night. Herbs that assist manage blood sugar can be taken in small doses; just one betel leaf taken after the last meal or before bed. To facilitate bowel movements, you can also crush betel leaves, soak them in water over the night, and then drink the water on an empty stomach in the morning.