Tag: Traditional practices

The word for eating clay is geophagia, a specific form of the eating disorder known as pica. The practice is documented across many cultures and time periods, with reports dating back to ancient medical texts from Hippocrates. While sometimes linked to nutritional deficiencies like iron and zinc, it can also be influenced by cultural beliefs and mental health conditions.

For centuries, the tradition of chewing paan across South Asia has involved adding chuna, a processed slaked lime paste, for a very specific chemical purpose. This seemingly simple ingredient is crucial for unlocking the psychoactive compounds found in the areca nut, thereby creating the characteristic experience associated with the betel quid.