Yes, it’s the lime. It’s highly alkaline (pH 12.4). It’s added to keep the mouth alkaline so that the alkaloids can absorb better. It’s also used for oral coca, and other similar oral quids for the very same reason.

You can use calcium carbonate instead. It doesn’t burn at all, but keeps the pH of the mouth alkaline so the alkaloids can absorb properly. But because it doesn’t burn and cause lesions to form like lime does, it doesn’t work quite as well.

It’s supposed to be the lime that leads to mouth cancer because of the constant lesions it causes, not the betel nut.

SWIM loves coffee. SWIM will have to give this a try sometimes. He’ll use calcium carbonate instead. SWIM doesn’t fancy getting mouth cancer.