1/ Discover the characteristics of lotus root
Lotus root is the edible rhizome of the lotus plant, a familiar aquatic plant in Vietnam. This is the part that is submerged in water, submerged in mud, so they are often harvested when the lotus has withered. From the outside, they are oval segments connected together, forming a fairly long segment. To make it easier to imagine, newly harvested lotus roots resemble sausages in the South.
It has light brown, rough appearance. On the contrary, the inside is bright white, the surface has holes, helping to ventilate the lotus to grow in mud. They are divided into two types: 7-hole lotus root and 9-hole lotus root. The 7-hole has a short, rough and soft stem, so it is often used in stews. On the contrary, 9-hole is long, thin-skinned, and crispier, so it is an ideal choice for salads and salads. This is a secret to help us choose the right ingredients when processing.
Lotus root is increasingly prized for containing phenolic compounds known as natural antioxidants. It can be ground into powder and used to make desserts. When eaten, lotus root has a sweet taste and moderate crunch.
2/ Nutritional value
Lotus root has no cholesterol and is very low in calories. It has a diverse nutritional content with many vitamins, minerals and nutrients that are very beneficial for our body.
How many calories are in it? In each 100g, lotus root contains the following nutritional content:
- Energy: 66kcal
- Protein:1.58g
- Total fat: 0.07g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 3.1g
In each 100g of boiled lotus root, the outstanding vitamins and minerals contained in lotus root include:
- Potassium: 363 mg
- Calcium: 26mg
- Iron: 0.9 mg
- Vitamin C: 27.4mg
- Thiamine: 0.127mg
- Riboflavin: 0.01mg
- Niacin: 0.3mg
- Pantothenic acid: 0.302mg
- Vitamin B-6: 0.218mg
- Folate: 8µg
- Choline: 25.4mg
3/ 10 unexpected benefits of this product
Fresh lotus root has a mildly sweet taste and a crunchy texture when eaten raw, slightly starchy when cooked. Contains many nutrients that are beneficial for health, so what effects does lotus root actually have? Here are 10 health benefits of lotus root.
3.1. Protects the heart and regulates blood pressure
As a nutritious food, fresh lotus root helps support cardiovascular health due to its high potassium content. Many beneficial properties of K have been reported including vasodilation, increased GFR and reduced renin which helps regulate blood pressure. Furthermore, a potassium-deficient diet can cause muscle weakness, irregular heartbeat, mood swings or nausea.
In addition, the folate and vitamin C content in them are also extremely important to help create blood and strengthen blood vessels.
3.2. Improve immune function
Lotus root is rich in vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that protects cell membranes against the harmful effects of free radicals, increases interferon production, enhances resistance, reduces the body’s sensitivity to histamine, and fights stress. . Therefore, adding lotus root to your nutritional diet will help you improve immune function.
3.3. Helps protect the liver
It contains high levels of polyphenolic compounds that are believed to protect liver cells. According to animal research, lotus root powder is believed to prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
In addition, in Oriental medicine, lotus root water is also considered a heat-clearing and cooling drink for the body.
3.4. Effects on hemostasis and blood circulation
According to traditional medicine, it is also known as haemorrhage, not only a food but also a medicine with hemostatic effect, used in cases of nosebleeds, bloody stools or urination…
This product also contains a lot of Vitamin B6, which helps regulate homocysteine levels, contributing to cardiovascular protection and supporting blood circulation in the body.
3.5. Helps reduce inflammation
Fermented lotus root was investigated to reduce ethanol/HCl-induced gastric ulcers in mice by regulating inflammation-related genes. The results show that fermented lotus root can effectively improve inflammatory diseases. However, the mechanism of this inflammation reduction has not yet been clarified and more research is needed to confirm.
3.6. Reduce the risk of birth defects
Lotus root provides several important nutrients to maintain a healthy pregnancy, namely folate (vitamin B9). Pregnant women especially need to supplement enough folate to prevent dangerous birth defects.
In addition, also provides choline, iron and calcium. These micronutrients support a healthy pregnancy.
3.7. Rich in vitamin B, good support for the nervous system
Its effects also come from high-value B complex vitamins such as pyridoxine, folate, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and thiamin.
In particular, pyridoxine (vitamin B6) plays an important role in supporting nerve functions. Therefore, when the body is deficient in this vitamin, you will feel tired and uncomfortable, and sometimes it can even lead to depression.
Supplementing the right amount of pyridoxine every day helps control nervous irritability, headaches and stress. Vitamin B6 also reduces the risk of heart attack.
3.8. Improve skin health
Research investigating the active ingredients Polyphenols extracted from this tuber, shows that it helps maintain skin health through reducing the level of metalloproteinase activity in skin cells through its anti-inflammatory properties.
3.9. Rich in fiber, beneficial for the digestive system
Research has shown that a diet rich in fiber leads to a healthier digestive system:
Prevent intestinal cancer. The insoluble fiber contained therein will increase the volume and speed of food movement in the intestinal tract. This reduces the time it takes for toxic substances to accumulate.
Prevent constipation. Fiber helps regulate bowel movements by drawing water into the intestines to create soft, molded stools.
In addition, the rich fiber content in lotus root also brings other benefits:
Reduce cholesterol. Soluble fiber has been shown to reduce cholesterol and limit the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Better blood sugar control. Meals rich in fiber will slow down the digestion of food in the intestines. This contributes to keeping blood sugar levels stable.
3.10. Weight control
Because this tuber is rich in fiber, it will help you stay full longer, preventing overeating and hunger between meals. A high-fiber diet helps hinder the absorption of nutrients. Therefore, this product can be known as one of the weight loss foods.
4/ Notes when using
What are the potential risks of eating lotus root? It is considered a relatively safe food with a low allergenic potential. However, you should note a few things:
- Despite all its nutritional benefits, lotus root is not medicinal and has no medicinal properties. You should not arbitrarily treat any disease with lotus root without consulting your doctor.
- Lotus root contains a lot of starch. Therefore, patients with diabetes, colon or stomach should consider using it regularly.
- You should not eat it raw. Lotus root is the root of the lotus flower, it is highly likely to contain parasites. Therefore, eating raw will increase the risk of infection and food poisoning. The best way is to cook it before using.
With knowledge from studying documents and many years of experience in practice, we hope to help readers deeply understand the effects of lotus root. Thereby the application is used in daily life. When you need to buy a reputable place to buy it, please contact our company via the following information:
Email: info@vdelta.com.vn
Whatsapp: +84364772308
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