FOOD RESOURCE COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES, OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
LOTUS, NELUMBO NUCIFERUM, LEEN NGAU, NADRU, RENKON
Excerpts from Bender, Arnold E. 1990. Dictionary of Nutrition and Food Technology. Butterworths, Boston.
Nelumbium nuciferum. Sacred lotus of India and China; water plant whose rhizomes and seeds are used as food. Other water plants of the same family whose seeds and rhizomes are eaten are the water-lilies, Nymphaea. analysis of rhizome per 100 g: 1.7 g protein, 11 g carbohydrate, 50 kcal (200 kJ), 1.5 mg Fe, 0.05 mg vitamin B1, 20 mg vitamin c.
Excerpts from Passmore, Jacki. 1991. The Encyclopedia of Asian Food and Cooking. Hearst Books, New York.
The lotus's long, colorful history encompasses three cultures-Chinese, Indian and Egyptian. It symbolizes the peace and harmony that characterize Buddhism. In Indian art the full, rounded shape of the flower equates with womanly curves as a symbol of purest beauty. Lotus blossoms and the majestic, floating leaves of the lotus plant appear in paintings, carvings and sculptures in ancient Egypt, even though the lotus now no longer grows there in its natural state. The lotus has proved practical as well as beautiful, its seeds, stems, flowers and roots are all edible. With its series of bulbous rhizomes separated by narrow necks, the root resembles a string of hard brown sausages. Also known as leen ngau (China); nadru (India); renkon (Japan).
Hedrick, U.P. editor. 1919. Sturtevant's Notes on Edible Plants. Report of the New York Agricultural Experiment Station for the Year 1919 II. Albany, J.B Lyon Company, State Printers. [References Available]
NYMPHAEA LOTUS, EGYPTIAN WATER LILY, LOTUS
LOTUS, NITRARIA TRIDENTATA, NELUMBIUM SPECIOSUM, NYMPHAEA LOTUS, EGYPTIAN WATER LILY
is a plant of tropical Africa and eastern Asia. The rootstocks contain a sort of starch and are eaten by the poorer classes in India. The small seeds, called bheta, are fried in heated sand and make a light, easily digestible food. The roots are also eaten in Ceylon and the seeds are chewed by children. The tubers are much sought after by the natives as an article of food or as a medicine. The capsules and seeds are either pickled or put into curries or ground and mixed with flour to make cakes.
NELUMBIUM SPECIOSUM, LOTUS
is a plant of Northern Africa and tropical Asia. The lotus is an eastern flower which seems form time immemorial to have been, in native estimation, the type of the beautiful. It is held scared throughout the East, and the deities of the various sects in that quarter of the world are almost invariably represented as either decorated with its flowers, seated or standing on a lotus throne or pedestal, or holding a sceptre framed form its flowers. It is fabled that the flowers obtained their red color by being dyed with the blood of Siva when Kamadeva wounded him with the love-shaft arrow. Lakeshmi is called the lotus-born, from having ascended from the ocean on its flowers. The lotus is often referred to by the Hindu poets. The lotus floating in the water is the emblem of the world. It is also symbolic of the mountain Meru, the residence of the gods and the emblem of female beauty. Both the roots and seeds are esculent, sapid and wholesome and are used as food by the Egyptians. In China, some parts of India and in Ceylon, the black seeds of this plant, not unlike little acorns in shape, are served at table. Tennent found them of delicate flavor and not unlike the pine cones of the Apennines. In the southern provinces of China, large quantities are grown. The seeds and slices of its hairy root are served at banquets and the roots are pickled for winter use. In Japan, the stems are eaten. These stalks are not dissimilar in taste to our broad beet with a somewhat sharp after-taste. The seeds are also eaten like filberts. The roots furnish a starch, or arrowroot, in China, called gaou fun.
NITRARIA TRIDENTATA, LOTUS TREE
is a tree of Syria, north Africa and the topics. This has been supposed, says Masters, to be the true lotus tree of the ancients.
