The efficacy and function of lotus root and the therapeutic effect of lotus root

Everyone knows the idiom "藕断丝连", which refers to lotus root. Lotus root is not only delicious but also nutritious. Do you know the effects and functions of lotus root ?

Introduction to Lotus Root

Lotus root originated in India and was introduced to my country very early. In the Southern and Northern Dynasties, lotus root cultivation was already quite common. Lotus root is slightly sweet and crispy. It can be eaten raw or cooked. It also has a very high medicinal value. Its roots, leaves, flowers, stamens and fruits are all precious and can be used as tonic medicine. Lotus root powder can help digestion and stop diarrhea, stimulate appetite and clear heat, nourish the body and prevent internal bleeding. It is a good liquid food and nourishing treasure for women, children, the elderly and the weak and sick. During the Xianfeng period of the Qing Dynasty, it was designated as a tribute to the imperial court.

Lotus root is the lotus's fleshy underground stem, which can be eaten. Some say it originated in Egypt, while others believe it originated in China. Lotus roots are mainly cultivated in swamps, and Hubei, China, is rich in lotus roots.

Morphological characteristics

1. Root-like adventitious roots, growing on underground stem nodes, in bundles, 5-8 bundles per node, 7-21 adventitious roots per bundle. The roots are mostly shallowly distributed and grow weakly. The root regeneration ability is weak. It is easily harmed by high concentrations of fertilizers and salt.

2. The stem is an underground stem, with long and thin branches as thick as fingers growing horizontally at a depth of 10-20cm in the soil, which are called "lotus whips". In the later stage of growth, the internodes of the tip of the lotus whip obviously swell and become thicker, becoming edible lotus roots. The first larger lotus root to grow is called the "main lotus root", and 2-4 "sub-lotus roots" are born from the main lotus root nodes. The larger sub-lotus roots can also give rise to "grandchildren's lotus roots". The tip of the main lotus root is shorter and is called the "lotus root head", the middle 1-2 sections are longer and are called the "lotus root body" or "middle section", and the section connecting the lotus whip is longer and thinner and is called the "back handle".

3. The leaves are commonly known as "lotus leaves". They are large single leaves that grow upward from each node of the stem and have long petioles. The leaves begin to roll longitudinally and then unfold. They are nearly round, entire, green, and covered with wax powder. The center of the leaf vein is connected to the petiole, which is called the "leaf nose". It is the vent of the lotus leaf and communicates with the petiole and the airway in the underground stem. There are 1-2 primary leaves. The petiole is thin and weak and cannot stand upright. It can only sink in the water or float on the water surface. The one that sinks in the water is called "money leaf" and the one that floats on the water surface is called "floating leaf"; the leaves that grow later have hard lotus stems and rigid thorns on the upper side. They stand upright on the water surface and are called "standing leaves". They are getting higher and higher, generally 60-120cm above the water surface, forming a group of leaves with ascending steps. When the group of leaves rises to a certain height, it stays at the general height. The leaves that grow later are smaller one by one, and the lotus stems are getting shorter and shorter, forming a group of leaves with descending steps. Finally, the largest standing leaf is born, which is called "back handle leaf" or "big frame leaf". Starting from the node where the rear leaf grows, the tip of the underground stem stretches downward and expands to form a lotus root. Then, a significantly shorter upright leaf grows on the node in front of it, commonly known as the "terminal leaf". When digging lotus roots, connect the rear leaf and the terminal leaf in a straight line to determine the location of the new lotus root underground.

4. Flowers, fruits and seeds The flowers are generally called "lotus flowers" and are borne on the nodes of some larger upright leaves. The flowers are solitary, with multiple petals in the corolla, and are bisexual flowers. The fruits are generally called "lotus pods", and the lotus seeds embedded in them are real fruits, which are small nuts with one seed inside. It takes 30-40 days from flowering to seed maturity.

The efficacy and function of lotus root

1. Clearing heat and cooling blood: Lotus root is cold in nature when used raw, and has the effect of clearing heat and cooling blood, and can be used to treat febrile diseases; lotus root is sweet and liquid, and is especially beneficial for those with fever, thirst, epistaxis, hemoptysis, and bleeding.

2. Laxative and antidiarrheal, spleen-strengthening and appetite-stimulating: Lotus root contains mucin and dietary fiber, which can combine with bile salts in the human body, cholesterol and triglycerides in food, and make them excreted from the feces, thereby reducing the absorption of lipids. Lotus root exudes a unique fragrance and also contains tannins, which have a certain spleen-strengthening and antidiarrheal effect, can increase appetite, promote digestion, stimulate appetite and strengthen the stomach, and is beneficial to the recovery of people with poor appetite and loss of appetite.

3. Nourishing blood and promoting muscle growth: Lotus root has high nutritional value, rich in trace elements such as iron and calcium, and rich in plant protein, vitamins and starch. It has obvious effects of nourishing qi and blood and enhancing human immunity. Therefore, Chinese medicine calls it "mainly nourishing the middle and nourishing the spirit, and nourishing qi and strength".

4. Stop bleeding and dissipate blood stasis: Lotus root contains a large amount of tannic acid, which has the effect of constricting blood vessels and can be used to stop bleeding. Lotus root can also cool blood and disperse blood. Chinese medicine believes that it can stop bleeding without leaving blood stasis, and is a good food therapy for febrile blood diseases.

Knowing that lotus root has so many functions and effects, is it suitable for everyone? Chinese medicine believes that it is especially suitable for the elderly, children, women, and the weak and sick, especially for patients with high fever, vomiting blood, hypertension, liver disease, loss of appetite, iron deficiency anemia, and malnutrition. However, since lotus root is cool in nature, it is not suitable for pregnant women to eat it too early; lotus root is cold in nature, and it is crisp and refreshing when eaten raw, but it hinders the spleen and stomach. People with poor spleen and stomach digestive function and loose stools should not eat it raw.

In addition to containing a large amount of carbohydrates, fresh lotus root is also rich in protein, various vitamins and minerals. It also contains rich dietary fiber, which is very beneficial for treating constipation and promoting the excretion of harmful substances.

Best way to eat: Seven-hole lotus root has a higher starch content and less water, and is sticky but not crispy, making it suitable for making soup; nine-hole lotus root has a high water content, is crispy and tender, and has more juice, so it is best eaten cold or stir-fried.

Best match: black and white fungus. Pairing with white fungus can nourish lung yin, while pairing with black fungus can nourish kidney yin.　

Lotus root therapeutic effect

Raw lotus root is sweet and cold in nature, and enters the heart, spleen, and stomach meridians;

It has the effects of clearing away heat, promoting the production of body fluid, cooling blood, dispersing blood stasis, tonifying the spleen, stimulating appetite, and stopping diarrhea;

It is mainly used to treat fever, thirst, vomiting blood, epistaxis, and hot stranguria.

Cooked lotus root is warm in nature and sweet in taste;

It has the effects of invigorating the stomach and spleen, nourishing blood and replenishing the body, promoting tissue regeneration, and stopping diarrhea;

It is mainly used to treat lung heat cough , irritability and thirst, spleen deficiency diarrhea, loss of appetite and various blood diseases.

Lotus root recipe guide

1. Lotus root can be eaten raw, cooked, mashed into juice and drunk, or dried and ground into powder to make porridge.

2. When eating lotus roots, choose those with yellow-brown skin and thick, white flesh. If they are black and have a strange smell, they are not suitable for consumption.

3. Raw or cooked lotus roots are suitable for stir-frying, stewing, deep-frying, and as ingredients for dishes, such as "Eight Treasures Stuffed Lotus Roots" and "Fried Lotus Root Boxes".

4. Avoid using iron utensils when cooking lotus root to prevent the food from turning black.

5. Uncut lotus roots can be kept at room temperature for a week, but because lotus roots tend to turn black and the cut parts are prone to rot, the cut lotus roots should be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated to keep fresh for about a week.

-

Lotus root supplement information

1. Quality requirements for lotus roots: The best lotus roots are those that are plump, tender, juicy, sweet, and fragrant. At the same time, the lotus roots should be free of damage, rot, discoloration, rust, shrinkage, and broken nodes; and have a thin layer of mud on the outside to protect them.

2. The difference between red lotus root and white lotus root: Generally speaking, red lotus root has a brownish-yellow skin, is short and thick, and tastes bitter when eaten raw; white lotus root has a smooth, silvery-white skin, is long and thin, and tastes sweet when eaten raw. Red lotus root is usually used for stewing pork ribs and lotus root soup, and white lotus root is used for stir-frying lotus root slices. In addition, there is a kind of average quality twisted lotus root, which has a rough surface, is pink, and contains more starch.

I think everyone knows the effects and functions of lotus root now.