Lotus/Nelumbo nucifera, also known as Indian lotus, sacred lotus, or simply lotus, is one of two extant species of aquatic plant in the family Nelumbonaceae. It is sometimes colloquially called a water lily, though this more often refers to members of the family Nymphaeaceae.^[rx]

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.

 

Nelumbo nucifera, under the more common names of the Hindu Lotus, Egyptian Bean, Lotus, Indian Lotus, Lotus Bean, Sacred Lotus, Oriental Lotus, Water Lotus, is a perennial flowering aquatic herb that is found in the freshwater. It has floating leaves and the rooted plant grows about 150 cm high. The plant rises from the rhizomes which are planted in the soil. It is many-petaled flowers that grow in the range of white to rosy. These flowers rise above several centimeters on thick stems above the water.

LOTUS FACTS

Lotus is a water plant that consists of bright fragrant flowers and broad floating leaves. The stems are long which contain air spaces. The flowers and leaves float in the water. The leaves are round and 50 cm in diameter. The flowers are rosy pink and have a bit of white shade. The seeds are hard, dark brown, and round-oval-oblong in shape. This flower opens during the morning time whereas the petals fall in the afternoon time.

It is a member of the Nelumbonaceae family native to Tropical Asia and Queensland (Australia) which is widely cultivated in water gardens. Lotus lives over a thousand years. It grows in warm-temperate tropical climates. Some varieties of Lotus are Asiatic, Chawan Basu, Chinese Double Rose, Momo Botan, Mrs. Perry D. Slocum, Perry’s Giant Sunburst, Rosea Plena, and Sacred Pink.

History

In the 18th century, it has been introduced in Europe as a water lily but today it is found all over the world in modern botanical gardens. Lotus plants are typically cultivated in Japan, Australia, India, China, and Iran.

The lotus flower is also regarded as a symbol of purity and beauty in both Buddhist and Hindu religions. It is illustrated in religious pictures and texts. During 1999, it was served in China as an industrial crop. Lotus was cultivated for more than 1000 years in Japan which was introduced from China.

Plant

Lotus is a perennial, rhizomatous and aquatic herb that usually grows to the height of 150 cm and has a horizontal spread of 3 meters. The roots are long, slightly round from white to reddish and brown. The leaves are large which float on the surface of the water. The leaves are water repellant, orbicular, concave-cup-shaped with 60 cm as a diameter. The stems are thick which bear flowers several centimeters above the water. The flowers are hermaphrodite, oblong-elliptic to obovate, about 10-25 cm diameter, and are sweet-scented. Petals are white to rosy and numerous. Flowers bloom in the morning and closes in the evening.  The fruits are like nuts, oblong-ovoid, brown, glabrous with the size of 1.0–2.0 × 7–1.5 cm. The fruit possesses black, hard, and ovoid seeds.

Seeds

Lotus seeds are sweet edible seeds of the lotus flower and is a good source of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. It is commonly known as makhana in India and is small, round, and white or off-white in appearance. They are low in saturated fats, sodium, and cholesterol; high in magnesium potassium, thiamine, and phosphorus and are used in desserts, rice porridge, soups, and stir fry dishes.

Health Benefits of Lotus

All parts of the Lotus plant are edible and provide numerous health benefits. The lotus root is used to treat various health ailments and to add seasoning to the food. It is composed of several vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. Due to the richness in Vitamin C, it benefits the body in various ways. The ample amount of potassium helps to reduce fatigue, heart problems, irritability, and high blood pressure. Minerals such as iron assist in producing red blood cells.

1. Circulates blood

The Lotus root promotes blood circulation which helps to raise the oxygenation of organs and also increases the functions and energy level. The presence of copper and iron in meaningful amounts assist in the production of red blood cells, lowers the risk of anemia, increases the blood flow as well as vitality. (1)

2. Influence mood

The presence of pyridoxine interacts with the neural receptors in the brain which impacts the mental state and mood. It eradicates headaches, irritability, and stress level. The flowers of Lotus are associated with tranquility and peace. (2)

3. Flow of blood

Lotus root contains potassium insignificant amount which helps to maintain the balance of the fluids and prevent the sodium effects in the bloodstream. Potassium acts as a vasodilator that helps to relax the blood vessels, lowers rigidity and contraction, increases blood flow, and lowers the stress on the cardiovascular system. Potassium is vital for neural activity and transport blood and fluid to the brain. (3)

4. Reduce constipation

Lotus root is loaded with dietary fiber which adds bulk to the stool and eases bowel movements. This can lower constipation, increase nutrient absorption through the digestive and gastric juice secretion, stimulate the peristaltic motion in the intestinal muscles, and ease bowel movements. (4)

5. Antioxidant activity

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that is found in high amounts. It is vital for the formation of collagen; maintaining strength and integrity in the organs, vessels, and skin. It enhances immune functions. In addition, Vitamin C eradicates the free radicals from the body that leads to the health conditions like heart disease and cancer. (5)

6. Prevent heart ailments

Potassium is a vasodilator and dietary fiber has the cholesterol scrubbing ability. The lotus root contains pyridoxine which helps to control the homocysteine level in the blood that is associated to heart attacks. (6)

7. Regulates weight

Lotus root helps to manage weight due to low-calorie content and high amount of fiber and nutrients. It provides all the nutrients and makes full for long periods of time which lowers the chances of overeating and also manages obesity. (7)

8. High in Vitamin A

Lotus roots are an excellent source of Vitamin A which enhances the skin, eyes, and hair health. The antioxidant activities prevent ocular conditions and macular degeneration, speed up the healing process, reduce inflammation and skin ailments. (8)

Health Benefits of Lotus Root

Lotus root is rich in nutrients that benefit our body in many ways. Let’s have a look at them in detail.

May Help Improve Blood Circulation

As part of a balanced diet, lotus root can be a wonderful way to stimulate blood circulation and energy levels. The iron and copper content in lotus roots is significant, and they are both integral parts of red blood cell production, helping in reducing the chances of developing anemic symptoms and increasing vitality and blood flow. ^[4]

Possible Stress Reduction

One of the elements of the vitamin B complex is pyridoxine, which is thought to directly interact with the brain’s neural receptors, which influence mood and mental states. In folk medicine, it is thought to control irritability, headaches, and stress levels. Lotus flowers are often connected with peace and tranquility but it is the lotus root, which delivers the peace people are looking for. ^[5]

May Help Regulate Blood Pressure

Similarly, with other foods, significant levels of potassium – such as potatoes, tomatoes, and avocado – the content in the lotus root is also high. Adequate amounts of potassium in the diet, in healthy individuals, is vital to ensure a proper balance between the fluids in the body and also counteract the effects of sodium in our bloodstream. Potassium is a vasodilator, meaning that it relaxes blood vessels. Thus, by lessening the contraction and rigidity, it can help increase blood flow and reduce the strain on the cardiovascular system. Potassium can also be an essential component of neural activity and the passage of fluid and blood in the brain. ^[6]

May Help Improve Digestion

The woody, fleshy lotus root has a healthy serving of dietary fiber, which is known to bulk up the stool and expedite bowel movements. Adequate dietary fiber can reduce symptoms of constipation while optimizing nutrient absorption. This is possibly done by increasing the secretion of digestive and gastric juices and stimulating peristaltic motion in the intestinal muscles to facilitate easy and regular bowel movements. ^[7]

Possibly Rich in Vitamin C

When we talk about the nutrient content of lotus root, vitamin C is one prominent nutrient. One hundred grams of lotus root contains 73 percent of your daily requirement of this powerful antioxidant vitamin. Vitamin C is an important component of collagen, which can hel maintain the integrity and strength of our blood vessels, organs, and skin, and is also a major stimulant for the immune system. Furthermore, vitamin C can neutralize free radicals in the body, which are dangerous by-products of cellular metabolism that may increase the risk of chronic conditions, like cancer and heart diseases. ^[8] [9]

May Aid in Managing Weight

Lotus roots are a good option for people trying to manage their weight. By including low-calorie foods that are high in nutrients and fiber, you are able to get all the nutrients you need, and might still feel full, so you reduce the chances of overeating and thereby, manage obesity. ^[10]

Possibly Rich in Vitamin A

This is another essential vitamin found in lotus roots, which can help improve the health of the skin, hair, and eyes. Vitamin A has antioxidant capabilities and can prevent macular degeneration and other ocular conditions. It also helps to speed up wound healing and treat skin conditions and inflammation. ^[11]

Traditional uses

• Lotus leaf has been used for summer heat syndrome as a home remedy in Japan and China, and it has recently been used to treat obesity in China.
• The embryo of lotus seeds is used in traditional Chinese drugs called ‘Lian Zi Xin’, which primarily helps to overcome nervous disorders, insomnia, high favors, and cardiovascular diseases.
• Lotus leaf is known to be effective for ‘overcoming body heat’ and stopping bleeding and is commonly used as a traditional curing plant for the treatment of hematemesis, epistaxis, hemoptysis, hematuria, and metrorrhagia in traditional Chinese medicine.
• The herb of lotus leaves is the traditional Chinese medicine He Ye, which is commonly used to treat sunstroke, assuage thirst and cure both diarrhea and fever in China.
• In traditional Korean medicine, lotus roots have been used as an anti-diabetic and an anti-proliferative remedy.
• In folk medicines, seeds are used in the treatment of tissue inflammation, cancer, skin diseases, and leprosy; used as poison antidote, antiemetic and cooling agent; and generally prescribed to children as diuretic and refrigerant.
• The fruits and seeds of lotus are astringent and used to treat hyperpiesia, dermatopathy, halitosis, menorrhagia, leprosy, and fever.
• Seed powder mixed with honey is useful in treating cough, while roots with ghee (melted fresh butter), milk, and gold promote strength, virility, and intellect.
• Its rhizomes are used for treating pharyngopathy, pectoralgia, spermatorrhoea, leucoderma, smallpox, diarrhea, dysentery, and cough.
• The stem is used in indigenous Ayurvedic medicines as a diuretic and anthelmintic and to treat strangury, vomiting, leprosy, skin diseases, and nervous exhaustion.
• Young leaves with sugar are useful to treat rectal prolapse, and the leaves boiled with Mimosa pudica in goat’s milk can be used to treat diarrhea.
• It has been used for the treatment of several disorders including skin disease, cough, inflammation, fever, and many other disorders.
• The leaves are used as an effective drug for hematemesis, epistaxis, hemoptysis, haematuria, metrorrhagia, fever, and inflammatory skin conditions.
• Its seed has been used as an anti-obesity agent in traditional Chinese herbal medicine.
• Hyper lipidaemia in rodents can be treated with lotus leaves.
• Leaves also possess diuretic and astringent properties and help to treat fever, sweating, and strangury and as a styptic
• The Chinese administer the rhizomes for diarrhea and dysentery; the Cambodians make tea for menorrhagia.
• The Chinese used the embryo to reduce high fever and in the treatment of cholera, hemoptysis and spermatorrhoea.
• In Malayan medicine, it is highly esteemed as a tonic and taken as a tea for fever.
• The Malays used pounded petals for syphilis.
• They are astringent and taken for diarrhea and vomiting in Java.
• The Chinese used them in facial cosmetics.
• In India, they are used for fever and in the Philippines for dysentery.
• The stamens are astringent and diuretic and used by the Chinese.
• They are also used in cosmetics.
• In India, they are employed as an astringent and cooling medicine.
• In Indonesia and India, the juice from the petioles and peduncles is used for treating diarrhea.
• In Vietnam, the seeds are used to treat dysentery, spermatorrhoea, leucorrhoea, palpitation, insomnia, general debility, and anorexia.
• The plumules are useful in the therapy of permanent mild fever, insomnia, thirst, and hemoptysis.
• The leaves are beneficial in treating bloody stools, hematuria, gingival and subcutaneous hemorrhage.
• The stamens are effective for metrorrhagia, hemoptysis, spermatorrhoea, and insomnia.
• The achene in decoction is used for treating dysentery and aphonia.
• The receptacle in decoction is useful as hemostatic in treating bloody stools, urination, leucorrhoea, and hypertension.
• Rhizome decoction is used as hemostatic in treating bloody stools, hematuria, haematemesis, epistaxis, and metrorrhagia.
• Nutritious flour made from the rhizome is given to children affected by diarrhea, dysentery, and dyspepsia.
• A paste made of the powdered rhizome is applied for tinea and other dermatoses.

Other Facts 

• Lotus is regarded as a religious flower in Buddhism and Hinduism.
• The Lotus is correlated with the sun in Egyptian mythology because it opens in the daytime and closes during the night.
• The fruits are a conical pod with seeds which is found in the holes of the pod.
• The petals are replaced by a flat-topped seed pod when it falls which is divided into compartments such as the wasp’s hive.
• Nelumbium luteum is the American Lotus which has small, pale flowers.
• Nelumbium nelumbo which is the Indian or Chinese Lotus has pink flowers.
• Lotus is the national flower of Bangladesh, India, and Vietnam.

References

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