Lotus root, a traditional Chinese medicine, is the enlarged rhizome of the plant Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. of the family Nymphaceae. Lotus root is cultivated and grown in various regions in China. So what are the medicinal values of lotus root?
1. Hemostasis
The lotus root contains tannic acid and vitamin K, which have a vasoconstrictive effect. Fresh lotus root, which has a cold nature, is often used to cool the blood and stop bleeding. For nosebleeds, coughing up blood, or blood in phlegm, fresh lotus root can be decocted with fresh white pampas grass root water or taken with fresh side cypress leaves.
2. Dispersing stasis
Eating raw lotus root or juicing it with wine can help break up blood stasis, reduce swelling, and detoxify the body. Traditional Chinese medicine considers it a good dietary therapy for stopping bleeding without leaving stasis.
3. Moistening the intestines and promoting bowel movements
Lotus root is rich in dietary fiber and mucoprotein, low in calories, and can control weight. It can help lower blood sugar, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels, promote bowel movements, and prevent constipation and hemorrhoids. Fresh lotus root juice with ginger can also treat intestinal inflammation.
4. Blood nourishment and skin regeneration
Lotus root is rich in trace elements such as copper, iron, potassium, zinc, magnesium, and manganese, as well as proteins, vitamins, and starch. It has a significant effect in nourishing qi and blood and enhancing the immune system. Among tuberous foods, lotus root has a higher iron content, making it suitable for those with iron deficiency anemia. Lotus root powder is a good product for nourishing yin and blood, and it is easily absorbed. It has the function of preventing and treating anemia and promoting blood production.
5. Calming the mind and soothing the heart
Lotus root contains B vitamins, which can help reduce restlessness, relieve headaches, and reduce stress, thereby improving mood and reducing the risk of heart disease.
6. Phlegm-clearing and cough-relieving
With the increasingly poor air quality and severe pollution, consuming fresh lotus root juice can alleviate problems such as cough, yellow phlegm, asthma, and inflammation of the trachea. Hot lotus root tea has the effect of suppressing cough and eliminating phlegm.
7. Anti-aging and cancer prevention
Vitamin C and polyphenols in fresh lotus root can enhance immunity, delay aging, and prevent cancer.
Lotus root is widely distributed in various regions, growing in water marshes, ponds, lakes, or paddy fields, both in the wild and cultivated.
The rhizome of lotus root is thick and horizontally growing, with a yellowish-white skin and contracted nodes. It has axillary buds and adventitious roots. The internode is swollen and varies in size. It is brittle and has a white cross-section with numerous uneven longitudinal ducts and white filamentous substances. It has no odor, and tastes slightly sweet and astringent.
