Lotus Root, 2-3 Links

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Lotus stem, also known as lotus root, is a versatile vegetable that can be prepared and cooked in a variety of ways. Here are some popular methods for preparing and cooking lotus stem: Lotus root is an excellent source of vitamin C. Thanks to its antioxidant content, vitamin C benefits the health of skin through several different mechanisms.

a b H.M. Anawar; A. Garcia-Sanchez; M. Tari Kul Alam; M. Majibur Rahman (2008). "Phytofiltration of water polluted with arsenic and heavy metals". International Journal of Environment and Pollution. 33. doi: 10.1504/IJEP.2008.0194 (inactive 1 August 2023). {{ cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of August 2023 ( link) Pre-mature (early) cultivars are harvested before the end of July, serotinous (late) cultivars from September on, and mid-serotinous or mid-matutinal cultivars are in between these harvest times. Using pre-mature cultivars, rhizomes can be harvested earlier and sold for a higher price. [40] Lotus stem is often used in vegetarian and vegan cuisine as a meat substitute because of its unique texture and ability to absorb flavors. Nelumbo nucifera shows high potential for usage in wastewater treatment removing polluting compounds [58] and heavy metals. [59] [60] [61] It is able to grow in variable water conditions [62] and in low light intensity. [58] Various studies show the successful use of N. nucifera to counteract water eutrophication. [58] [63] The leaves of the floating lotus reduce sunlight reaching the lower part of the water. This suppresses algae growth in N. nucifera aquatic systems and thus, the oxygen content is up to 20% higher than in other aquatic plant systems. [58] Due to intense agricultural practices, nitrogen and phosphorus pollution are major problems in aquatic systems. N. nucifera is able to assimilate a higher content of phosphorus than aquatic plants currently used for water remediation (such as water hyacinth). It also assimilates nitrogen (" denitrification") and creates a habitat for bacterial growth in the water body. [58] Through rhizofiltration, heavy metals – including arsenic, copper, and cadmium – can be removed efficiently from the water. [59] [60] The results observed are impressive showing 96% of copper and 85% cadmium metals removed after a seven-day incubation period. [60] The accumulation of heavy metals doesn't show morphological symptoms of metal toxicity; [61] however, the rhizome quality for human consumption needs further study.

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Overall, lotus stem can be used in a variety of dishes to add flavor, texture, and health benefits to your diet. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid using lotus as medicine because there is not enough research about its safety under these circumstances. Final Thoughts

Boosts immunity: Lotus stem contains antioxidants and other immune-boosting compounds, which may help protect the body against infection and disease. Some cultivated varieties have extraordinary numbers of petals. For example, the Chinese variety qian ban lian ("thousand petals lotus") can have between 3000 and 4000 petals in a single blossom [17] and the Japanese variety ohmi myoren ("strange lotus") can have between 2000 and 5000 petals, [18] the greatest number recorded for any species of plant.The lotus stem is widely used in Asian cuisine, especially in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Indian cuisine. It has a crisp and crunchy texture and a slightly sweet flavor, making it a popular ingredient in salads, stir-fries, soups, and stews. Additionally, lotus stem is considered to have various health benefits, such as improving digestion, reducing inflammation, and boosting the immune system. A fertilized lotus flower bears fruit that contains a cluster of 10 to 30 seeds. Each seed is ovoid 1–2.5 cm wide by 1–1.5 cm long with a brownish coat. [21] :132 Lotus seeds can remain viable after long periods of dormancy. In 1994, a seed from a sacred lotus, dated at roughly 1,300 years old ± 270 years, was successfully germinated. [22] [23] Shen-Miller, J.; Schopf, J. W.; Harbottle, G.; Cao, R.-j.; Ouyang, S.; Zhou, K.-s.; Southon, J. R.; Liu, G.-h. (2002). "Long-living lotus: Germination and soil -irradiation of centuries-old fruits, and cultivation, growth, and phenotypic abnormalities of offspring". American Journal of Botany. 89 (2): 236–47. doi: 10.3732/ajb.89.2.236. PMID 21669732.

Nelumbo nucifera (sacred lotus)". Kew. Archived from the original on 30 May 2014 . Retrieved 26 July 2015.

Lotus Shoots and Lotus Stems In Thai Cuisine

Lotus plants are adapted to grow in the flood plains of slow-moving rivers and delta areas. Stands of lotus drop hundreds of thousands of seeds every year to the bottom of the pond. While some sprout immediately, and most are eaten by wildlife, the remaining seeds can remain dormant for an extensive period of time as the pond silts in and dries out. During flood conditions, sediments containing these seeds are broken open, and the dormant seeds rehydrate and begin a new lotus colony. Lotus seeds can be processed into moon cake, lotus seed noodles and food in the forms of paste, fermented milk, rice wine, ice cream, popcorn ( phool makhana), and others, with lotus seeds as the main raw material. Traditional Eastern medicine claims that fresh lotus seed wine has thirst-quenching, spleen-healing, and anti-diarrheal advantages after drinking, attributed to unspecified bioactive compounds. [56] [57] Lotus seed tea is consumed in Korea, and lotus embryo tea is consumed in China and Vietnam. [57] Stems [ edit ] Kashiwada, Y.; Aoshima, A.; Ikeshiro, Y.; Chen, Y. P.; Furukawa, H.; Itoigawa, M.; Fujioka, T.; Mihashi, K.; Cosentino, L. M.; Morris-Natschke, S. L.; Lee, K. H. (2005). "Anti-HIV benzylisoquinoline alkaloids and flavonoids from the leaves of Nelumbo nucifera, and structure–activity correlations with related alkaloids". Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry. 13 (2): 443–448. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2004.10.020. PMID 15598565.

All parts of Nelumbo nucifera are edible, with the rhizome and seeds being the main consumption parts. Traditionally rhizomes, leaves, and seeds have been used as folk medicines, Ayurveda, Chinese traditional medicine, and oriental medicine. [72] [73] While leaves are used for hematemesis, epistaxis, and hematuria, the flowers are used for lowering blood sugar levels, [74] diarrhea, cholera, fever, and hyperdipsia. [72] [73] Rhizomes have purported diuretic, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory properties. [72] [73] [75] [76] In Chinese medicine, seeds are still used as Lian Zi Xin (蓮子心). [77] Zheng B, Zheng J, Zeng S (2003) Analysis of the nutritional composition in Chinese main lotus seed varieties. Acta Nutr Sin 25:153–156 The main popular Nelumbo nucifera cultivars in China are Elian 1, Elian 4, Elian 5, 9217, Xin 1, and 00–01. The average yield of these cultivars is 7.5–15 t/ha (3.3–6.7 tons/acre) of harvest in July and 30–45 t/ha (13–20 tons/acre) of harvest in September. [40] In Australia, the cultivar grown for the fresh rhizome market in Guangdong and Japan, the common rhizome cultivars are Tenno and Bitchu. [37] Seed lotus [ edit ] Nelumbo nucifera seed headThe sacred lotus requires a nutrient-rich and loamy soil. [28] In the beginning of the summer period (from March until May in the northern hemisphere), [33] a small part of rhizome with at least one eye is either planted in ponds [34] or directly into a flooded field. [35] [36] There are several other propagation ways via seeds or buds. [30] Furthermore, tissue culture is a promising propagation method for the future to produce high volumes of uniform, true-to-type, disease-free materials. [37] Getty, Alice, The gods of northern Buddhism: their history, iconography and progressive evolution through the northern Buddhist countries, 1914, Oxford, fully online