Religious Lotus flowers are widely used as offerings to most female deities, especially
Lakshmi, in Hindu temples. Among male deities, lotuses are offered to
Vishnu for prosperity and to
Shiva for salvation. Garlands made of lotuses are used for adorning deities and lotus petals are used in
puja. Lotus seeds are also used in prayer beads. Lotuses are also offered to
the Buddha in most Buddhist temples. Lotus is also widely used in
Varamala (Hindu wedding garland). File:Seruvila lotus pooja 3.jpg|Lotus offering File:Hindu Goddess Lakshmi in home temple.jpg|Lakshmi adorned with lotus petals File:Light falling on a Pooja.jpg|Lotus is widely used in Hindu Pooja File:A ritual, Hindus preparing for lotus pooja.jpg|Buddhists preparing for lotus puja in
Sri Lanka File:Lotus seeds on a mala jan 10.jpg|Lotus seed on a mala
Culinary Rhizomes s The
rhizomes of lotus (, , , ,
Sindhi Beeh, ) are consumed as a vegetable in Asian countries, extensively in China, Japan, India, Pakistan (
Sindh). They are sold whole or in cut pieces, fresh, frozen, or canned. They can be fried, cooked in soups, soaked in syrup, or
pickled in vinegar (with sugar, chili and garlic). Lotus rhizomes have a crunchy texture and are a classic dish at many banquets, where they are deep-fried, stir-fried, or stuffed with meats or preserved fruits.
Lotus root tea is consumed in Korea. Lotus root is a popular vegetable in Sri Lanka, where it is often cooked in
coconut milk gravy. In India, lotus root (also known as
kamala kakaṛī in
Hindi) is cooked as a dry curry or
sabzî. Japan is one of the primary users of the rhizomes, where it represents about 1% of all vegetables consumed. Japan grows its own lotus but still must import 18,000 tons of lotus rhizome each year, of which China provides 15,000 tons yearly. The rhizomes of
Nelumbo nucifera contain high amounts of
starch (31.2%) without a characteristic taste or odor. The texture is comparable to a raw potato. The binding and disintegration properties of the isolated starch have been compared with maize and potato starch; the starch was shown to be superior as an
adjuvant in the
preparation of tablets. When dried,
N. nucifera rhizomes can also be made into
flour, another popular use of this vegetable. Dry stored lotus seeds are sensitive to moisture and
mold infestation; researchers continue to explore new ways to preserve fresh lotus seeds, such as
radiation processing. Lotus seeds can be processed into fillings for
moon cake, lotus seed noodles and food in the forms of
paste, fermented milk, rice wine, ice cream, popcorn (
phool makhana), and others, with lotus seeds as the main raw material. Traditional Chinese medicine claims that fresh lotus seed wine has thirst-quenching, spleen-healing, and anti-diarrheal advantages after drinking, attributed to unspecified bioactive compounds.
Stems Young lotus
stems are used as a salad ingredient in
Vietnamese cuisine and as a vegetable ingredient for some soup and curry in Thailand, such as
keang som sai bua (, lotus stem sour soup) and
keang kati sai bua (, lotus stem in coconut milk curry). In
northern and
eastern regions of India, the stalk of the flower is used to prepare a soup,
kamala gaṭṭē kī sabzī () and an appetizer,
kamala kakaṛī pakauṛē (). In South Indian states, the lotus stem is sliced, marinated with salt to dry, and the dried slices are fried and used as a side dish. In
Kerala () and
Tamil Nadu, this end product is called
thamara vathal. In the
Philippines, an indigenous variety called
tukal is used as the main ingredient in dishes with coconut milk. The stems and petals can be bought in markets when in season.
Leaves ) wrapped in lotus leaves, traditionally consumed with ripe bananas and tea during autumn at the beginning of the rice harvest In China and Korea,
lotus leaf tea () is made from the leaves of the lotus. Lotus leaves are also used to serve food in various
cultures. It is used as a wrap for steaming
rice and
sticky rice and other steamed dishes in Asian cuisines, such as
lo mai gai and
zongzi in Chinese cuisine,
kao hor bai bua () fried rice wrapped in lotus leaf in Thai cuisine. Vietnamese also use lotus leaves to wrap green young rice,
cốm, which is eaten in
autumn. The leaves impart a unique scent to the soft, moist rice.
Flowers In Korea,
lotus flower tea () is made from the dried petals of the white lotus. The
stamens can be dried and made into a fragrant
herbal tea (), or used to impart a scent to
tea leaves (particularly in Vietnam). This
Vietnamese lotus tea is called
trà sen,
chè sen, or
chè ướp sen.
Risks The petals, leaves, and
rhizome can also all be eaten raw, but there is a risk of parasite transmission (e.g.,
Fasciolopsis buski): it is therefore recommended that they be cooked before eating.
Use in water treatment Nelumbo nucifera shows high potential for usage in wastewater treatment removing polluting compounds and heavy metals. It is able to grow in variable water conditions and in low light intensity. The leaves of the floating lotus reduce sunlight reaching the lower part of the water. This suppresses
algae growth in
N. nucifera aquatic systems and thus, the oxygen content is up to 20% higher than in other aquatic plant systems. The accumulation of heavy metals doesn't show morphological symptoms of metal toxicity; There are also several indications that compounds of
N. nucifera are used in drug fabrication in human health research for multiple purposes. Lotus leaves possess
hydrophobic characteristics, attributed to a waxy coat that prevents water from adhering to the surface. This attribute has influenced the conception of the "lotus effect" in
biomimicry and engineering, guiding the design of materials that resist water and remain self-cleaning. Researchers at the
National University of Singapore have utilized the water-repelling structure as inspiration for developing eAir, an aero-elastic sensor capable of detecting subtle pressure changes or other environmental stimuli.
Other uses , Myanmar.The distinctive dried seed heads, which resemble the spouts of
watering cans, are widely sold throughout the world for decorative purposes and for dried
flower arranging. A unique fabric called
lotus silk, from the lotus plant fibres, is produced only at
Inle Lake, Myanmar, and in
Siem Reap, Cambodia. This thread is used for weaving special robes for
Buddha images called
kya thingan (lotus robe). == Chemical composition ==