Lotus Root: Benefits, Effects, Contraindications of This Affordable Tonic Food, and What It Should Not Be Eaten With

Lotus root is a food we often eat in daily life. It has a slightly sweet and crunchy taste and can be prepared in many ways. Lotus root is rich in dietary fiber and contains many vitamins, making it very suitable for people with weak constitutions. But do you know what the benefits, effects, and contraindications of lotus root are? What should it not be eaten with?

I. Introduction to Lotus Root

Lotus root is the underground stem of a perennial herbaceous aquatic plant in the genus Nelumbo of the family Nelumbonaceae. It is also known as ou, lotus root node, wujie, lake lotus root, fruit lotus root, vegetable lotus root, water hibiscus, lotus rhizome, guangpang, and liancai (Shaanxi, Shanxi), among others. Lotus root is slightly sweet and crisp and can be eaten raw or cooked. In China, there are mainly seven-hole lotus roots and nine-hole lotus roots. Traditional Chinese medicine considers it to have quite high medicinal value. Lotus root originated in India, and by the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, its cultivation was already quite widespread. Today it is grown in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hubei, Shandong, Henan, Hebei, Guangdong, and other regions.

II. Benefits and Effects of Lotus Root

Lotus root is sweet in flavor and cold in nature, entering the heart, spleen, and stomach meridians. There are many ways to eat it: it can be stewed, stir-fried, served cold with dressing, and so on. According to experts, taro has 5 major benefits and effects.

1. Lotus root has the effect of clearing heat, moistening the lungs, and cooling the blood: Lotus root is cold in nature. Eating it raw can clear heat and moisten the lungs, and it has a good supportive effect on symptoms such as thirst and restlessness. It can generally be served cold with dressing or made into lotus root juice. Secondly, lotus root has a blood-cooling effect and can be used to treat heat-related conditions.

2. Lotus root has the effect of strengthening the spleen and stimulating the appetite: Lotus root contains tannins, which help improve appetite and promote digestion. It strengthens the spleen and stimulates the appetite, making it suitable for people with poor appetite.

3. Lotus root has the effect of promoting digestion and stopping diarrhea: Lotus root contains dietary fiber, which can promote digestion and has a certain therapeutic effect on relieving constipation and stopping diarrhea.

4. Lotus root has the effect of constricting blood vessels and stopping bleeding: Lotus root is rich in vitamin K, and it has a strong supportive effect for patients with blood stasis, hematemesis, epistaxis, hematuria, and bloody stools, as well as for postpartum women.

5. Lotus root has the effect of nourishing the blood and beautifying the complexion: Lotus root has high nutritional value and is rich in trace elements such as iron and calcium. Women who eat lotus root can regulate blood, replenish blood, and improve complexion, achieving a beautifying and complexion-enhancing effect.

III. Dietary Contraindications for Lotus Root

1. People with spleen deficiency and cold stomach and those prone to diarrhea should not eat raw lotus root: Raw lotus root is cold in nature, so it is not suitable for people with spleen deficiency and cold stomach, those prone to diarrhea, diabetic patients, or those with loose stools.

2. Postpartum women should not eat lotus root: Lotus root is on the cool side, so postpartum women should not eat it too early. Generally, it is eaten two weeks after childbirth.

3. Lotus root that has turned black or has an unusual odor should not be eaten.

4. Do not cook lotus root in an iron pot: Lotus root contains iron, so when stir-frying lotus root, it is best not to use an iron pot, because this will turn the lotus root black.

IV. What Should Lotus Root Not Be Eaten With?

1. Do not eat lotus root with animal liver: Lotus root contains cellulose, and eating the two together will reduce the body's absorption of trace elements from animal liver.

2. Do not eat lotus root with white radish: Both are cold and cooling foods. Eating them raw together is strongly cooling, so people with weak constitutions should not eat them this way.

V. How to Choose Lotus Root?

1. Choose lotus root with short, thick nodes and a plump appearance: When buying, choose lotus root that is relatively short and thick with a plump shape. This kind of lotus root is fully mature and at its best in taste. Try not to choose lotus root with an uneven or incomplete appearance.

2. Choose lotus root that is unbruised and has moist mud on it: Bruised lotus root is not easy to preserve, while lotus root with moist mud is easier to preserve.

3. Choose lotus root that is yellow in color: Freshly dug lotus root is generally yellow-brown. If it is black or has an unusual odor, it is not recommended for purchase. If it is relatively white, it is also not recommended for purchase, as it may have been soaked in chemicals.

4. Choose lotus root with larger air holes: Generally, lotus root with larger air holes is juicier and tastes better.

Conclusion: Nowadays, lotus root can be eaten all year round. We might as well eat a little more of it normally to supplement the nutrition our body needs. Generally, the truly mature season for lotus root is autumn, so September to October is the best season to eat lotus root. Especially for women, eating lotus root has a very good beauty effect.