SIRSI: Whenever the term Gutka is mentioned, the word arecanut comes to the fore. There is a statutory warning that areca chewing is harmful to health.

But an areca grower and innovator G.N. Hegde Godlabeel says that arecanut has some good qualities as well. He says that arecanut as such, which is used since the Vedic period, is not harmful but the chemicals used in producing gutka are dangerous to health.

To prove his statement Dr. Hegde has come up with chocolates and chewing gum prepared from arecanut. He has named them as supari chocolates and supari chewing gum.

Supari pain balm (pain killer) and supari digestive sweet tablets are the other products, which are herbal. Along with these products he has plans to produce supari toothpowder, supari toothpaste, supari perfumes, artificial colours and so on.

Before coming up with these areca products Dr. Hegde studied old ayurveda classics like "Charka Samhite", "Bhava Praksasha", "Baishaja Ratnavali", "Shushruta Samhite", "Yoga Ratnakar", "Chaarita Samhite" and so on.

Dr. Hegde's supari products will be exhibited in the National Science Congress to be held at Annamalai in Tamil Nadu from January 3 to January 7.

Though Dr. Hegde comes from Siddapur taluk in Uttar Kannda district, his innovations are welcomed and encouraged by the areca societies of Shimoga and Dakshina Kannada districts.

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