The lotus flower, also known as the lotus, is the main ornamental flower in summer and is widely cultivated throughout the mainland. Yang Wanli's famous phrase "Receiving the heavenly lotus leaves are infinitely blue, reflecting the sun lotus flowers are different." "It describes the beauty of the lotus flowers blooming in West Lake. On the mainland, lotus flowers have a long history of cultivation. According to records, lotus flowers have been cultivated on the mainland since the Zhou Dynasty, and lotus roots have been unearthed in the Mawangdui Han Tomb in Changsha that has not decayed for thousands of years. Lotus flowers are not only graceful, muddy and unclean, but also full of treasures, lotus seeds, lotus hearts, lotus leaves, and lotus root are all edible and medicinal products.
Medicinal properties of lotus
Lotus seed is the mature seed of lotus, its taste is sweet, astringent, flat, attributed to the spleen, kidney, heart meridian, has the effect of tonifying the spleen and benefiting the kidney, solidifying the essence and stopping diarrhea, nourishing the mind and calming the spirit. Lotus seed tonic and astringent, can treat kidney deficiency, spleen deficiency caused by sperm loss, slippery sperm, banding, diarrhea and other diseases, can also treat insomnia and palpitations caused by heart and kidney failure. Lotus seeds can be used alone or in the same way as yam, poria, dogwood, chia, codonopsis, poria and jujube kernels to enhance their effect of tonifying internal organs.
Lotus seed heart is the young germ in lotus seed, its taste is bitter, cold, has the effect of clearing the heart fire, reassuring the spirit, astringent essence and stopping bleeding, and treats dizziness, insomnia, sperm loss and other symptoms.
Lotus leaf is a lotus leaf, its taste is bitter, astringent, flat, with the effect of clearing summer heat, relieving dampness, strengthening the spleen and raising the yang, treating summer heat, external heat humidity, spleen deficiency and diarrhea and other symptoms.
Lotus root is the rhizome of lotus, its sweet taste, coolness, has the effect of clearing heat, generating jinjin, cooling blood, dispersing stasis, and treating irritability, thirst, bleeding and other symptoms caused by fever. Raw use, its heat and blood cooling effect is better.
The feeding nature of lotus
Lotus seeds are seed foods, but unlike peanuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and other types, the main nutrients of lotus seeds are carbohydrates, containing a small amount of protein and a small amount of fat. Lotus seeds can be eaten fresh or cooked, and the most common way to eat them is to boil them into porridge or lotus seed soup, which can be stored for a long time after drying and can be eaten all year round. Lotus seeds can be eaten with lotus seeds, or taken out separately and drunk in tea.
Lotus root is an aquatic vegetable, tender and juicy, rich in carbohydrates, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, in addition, it also contains protein, sodium, magnesium, iron, zinc, selenium, and a variety of vitamins, rich in nutrients. Lotus root is slightly sweet, belongs to a versatile ingredient, and has a variety of eating methods, such as lotus root rib soup, fried lotus root, osmanthus glutinous rice root, lily fungus fried lotus root slices, cold lotus root slices, etc., which can meet the eating needs of different ages and different groups of people. Lotus root powder made with lotus root is the preferred nutritional supplement to supplement carbohydrates and increase energy intake, and it is also a classic local snack.
Lotus leaves have a bitter and astringent taste, and should not be eaten directly and in large quantities. You can boil lotus leaves and boil porridge with lotus leaf juice; You can also cut a small amount of fresh lotus leaves into fine strips and add them to glutinous rice and glutinous rice to boil porridge and eat; Wrap food with lotus leaves, steam and eat, the fragrance of lotus leaves penetrates into the food, which can promote appetite, relieve heat and lower fat.
Precautions for consumption:
Although lotus root, lotus seeds and lotus leaves are rich in nutrition and have both medicinal and dietary uses, they also need to be eaten scientifically. Fresh lotus root and lotus seeds are rich in carbohydrates, and diabetics can replace some staple foods when eating them to avoid excessive energy intake. Lotus heart, lotus leaf, lotus root are all cold products, the elderly, young children, patients with weak spleen and stomach should be consumed with caution, do not eat too much. Lotus root is rich in soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, and patients with irritable bowel syndrome, peptic ulcer, and varicose veins of liver cirrhosis should consume with caution.
(The pictures in the article are all from the Internet, invaded and deleted.) ）
Author: Chen Yu
Source: Department of Nutrition, China-Japan Friendship Hospital