Lotus seeds are a common nourishing food with the effects of nourishing the heart and calming the mind, and tonifying the kidneys and securing essence. In daily life, lotus seeds can be used both as medicine and food. Can breastfeeding mothers eat lotus seeds? Will lotus seeds cause a decrease in breast milk supply?
Will lotus seeds decrease breast milk supply?
Eating them in moderation will not.
Decrease in breast milk supply refers to the cessation of milk production in the breasts after weaning. Generally, acidic and stimulating foods may cause a decrease in breast milk supply, such as hawthorn, chives, bitter melon, malt, garlic, etc. Lotus seeds have a neutral nature and a sweet and bitter taste. They have the effects of nourishing the heart and calming the mind, tonifying the spleen and kidneys, and securing essence. They do not cause a decrease in breast milk supply.
Can breastfeeding mothers eat lotus seeds?
They can eat them in moderation.
Lotus seeds contain cottonseed sugar, which has high nutritional value and is very suitable for postpartum women to nourish their bodies. Lotus seeds have the effects of tonifying the spleen and stopping diarrhea, nourishing the heart and calming the mind. They are suitable for breastfeeding mothers with spleen deficiency and diarrhea, and those who are restless and have trouble sleeping. Lotus seeds contain amino acids, vitamins, and other nutrients. Eating them in moderation is beneficial for postpartum recovery.
Benefits of breastfeeding mothers eating lotus seeds
Lotus seeds are rich in nutrients and have good nourishing effects. They have a neutral nature, a sweet taste, and a slightly bitter taste. They are non-toxic. Eating lotus seeds in moderation can tonify the spleen and kidneys, nourish the heart and calm the mind, and stop diarrhea and abnormal vaginal discharge. They have good improvement effects on symptoms such as irritability, palpitations and insomnia, restlessness, forgetfulness, and spleen deficiency with diarrhea that may occur during the postpartum period.
How to eat lotus seeds for breastfeeding mothers
Lotus Seed and Red Date Congee
Ingredients
15g lotus seeds, 10 red dates, appropriate amount of rice, wolfberries, and sugar.
Instructions
1. Remove the cores of the lotus seeds and pit the red dates. Rinse the wolfberries with warm water and soak them for 1 hour.
2. Pour boiling water into the rice cooker, add rice, lotus seeds, red dates, and wolfberries.
3. Cook until the rice is soft and add sugar to taste.
Effects: Nourishes the blood and complexion, invigorates the spleen and stomach.
Lotus Seed and Wolfberry Stewed Pork Intestine
Ingredients
20g lotus seeds, 10g wolfberries, 200g pork intestine, 150g lean pork.
Instructions
1. Cut the pork intestine into sections, wash them, and blanch the lean pork.
2. Bring a sufficient amount of water to a boil in a pot, cook the pork intestine until tender, and blanch the lean pork.
3. Put the pork intestine, lean pork, wolfberries, lotus seeds, ginger, and green onions into a stewing pot.
4. Stew for 2.5 hours, add salt to taste.
Effects: Tonifies the liver and kidneys, nourishes the heart and blood, brightens the eyes and calms the mind.
Lily, Lotus Seed, and Mung Bean Soy Milk
Ingredients
30g soybeans, 20g mung beans, 20g lily, 20g lotus seeds.
Instructions
1. Wash the soybeans and mung beans, and soak them in water overnight.
2. Soak the lily and lotus seeds until soft.
3. Put all the ingredients into a soy milk maker, press the "soy milk" button, and it will be ready in about 30 minutes.
Effects: Nourishes yin and relieves irritability, clears heat and detoxifies.
Precautions for breastfeeding mothers eating lotus seeds
1. Remove the cores before consumption.
Breastfeeding mothers are generally weak and often have insufficient qi and blood. They need to be nourished with warm foods and should avoid consuming cold foods. The lotus seed core has a cold nature and a bitter taste, so it is better for breastfeeding mothers to remove the cores before consumption. However, if breastfeeding mothers have symptoms of excessive internal heat during the postpartum period, there is no need to remove the cores before consumption.
2. Do not eat excessively.
Lotus seeds have nourishing effects and can tonify the spleen and kidneys, as well as nourish the heart and calm the mind. Breastfeeding mothers eating lotus seeds in moderation is beneficial for postpartum recovery. However, excessive consumption may have an adverse effect on the gastrointestinal tract and may cause symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea.
3. Not suitable for those with constipation.
Lotus seeds have astringent properties and may aggravate symptoms such as constipation and chronic gastritis in breastfeeding mothers. Therefore, breastfeeding mothers with symptoms of constipation or chronic gastritis should avoid consuming lotus seeds.
