The areca nut or betel nut is the fruit of the areca palm (Areca catechu). The palm is originally native to the Philippines, but was carried widely through the tropics by the Austronesian migrations and trade since at least 1500 BCE due to its use in betel nut chewing.The practice of betel nut chewing, often together with other herbs as a stimulant drug, dates back thousands of years, and continues to the present day in many countries.