The lotus flower produces edible seeds, which you can eat cooked or raw. Growers harvest the seeds in August and September, and then dry them in the sun. Lotus seeds are valued for nutritional and healing properties in Chinese medicine, and are used in many recipes as well as herbal formulas. Please note this article is not intended to replace medical advice. Consult your primary health provider before taking alternative supplements.
Nutritional Value
According to the website NutritionData.com, lotus seeds are good source of protein, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus. They are also low in saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol. Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D., director from the Institute for Traditional Medicine, also reports that lotus seeds are a good source of protein and used in soups in traditional Chinese cooking. The website Nutritional Wellness also lists iron and zinc among trace elements included within the seeds.<br>See also : [[Pink Lotus]]
==Special Precautions of Lotus Seeds==
*Because lotus seeds have antidiarrheal properties, people with indigestion or constipation should avoid them.
* Do not eat Lotus Seed if you are experiencing the following symptoms: cold or flu, fever, constipation.
==The benefits of Lotus Seeds are==
* Anti-Aging Properties : All lotus seeds contain the anti-aging enzyme L-isoaspartyl methyltransferase, which is said to help repair damaged proteins, according to the Kushi Institute, a macrobiotic website. Because of this, many cosmetic companies are now finding ways to include the seeds in anti-aging blends. Daike Tian, in an article on the Water Gardeners International website, states that lotus seeds contain kaempferol, a natural flavonoid which prevents inflammation. Tian claims this this helps repair aging gum tissue.
* Maintaining Healthy Pregnancy : One of the Chinese Medicine books, Ben Cao Jin Ji Zhu, and also modern TCM food diet therapy text books all mention that Lotus Seed can tonify the Spleen and Kidney to build up the body’s energy, Qi and Blood and help to stop bleeding associated with miscarriage.Women who have a history of miscarriage with the symptoms mentioned above can eat some Lotus Seeds while undergoing their treatment. I suggest dishes like Lotus Sticky Rice Porridge and Lotus Red Dates Porridge.
*Combination Formulas : Lotus seeds are often a vital component when combined with other herbs to create traditional formulas within Chinese medicine. Dharmananda lists several on the Institute for Traditional Medicine website. The Sheng Ling Baizhu San blend is well known and is said to help weak digestion and alleviate diarrhea. The formula Qingxin Lianzi Yin can be used for urinary and reproductive disorders, including urinary tract infections and prostatitis.
==Used in Patent MedecineMedicine==
* [[Shen Ling Bai Zhu Wan]]
* [[Sheng Ling Baizhu San]]
* [[Zi Sheng Wan]]
* [[Ba Ji Yin Yang Wan]]
* [[An Shen Wan]]
[[Category:Treatments]]
[[Category:herbal medicine]]