There are variations in the menu depending on the place and religion. Some communities, especially those in the northern part of Kerala, include non-vegetarian dishes in the sadhya. Although custom was to use traditional and seasonal vegetables indigenous to Kerala or South West Coast of India, it has become common practice to include vegetables such as carrots, pineapples, beans in the dishes. Tradition has it that onion and garlic are not typically used in the sadhya. Conventionally, the meal may be followed by "vettila murukkan", chewing of betel leaf with lime and arecanut. This helps digestion of the meal and also cleanses the palate.