Lotus seeds Nutrition facts

Lotus seeds

Lotus seeds and roots are a major crop in Hubei, Hunan, Fujian, and Jiangxi provinces. Although perennial, the lotus plant flowers each year completing the cycle from dormant, root eruption, flowers, and seeds and again assuming dormant state again during winter. Its roots and stem grow under the water, while its large green leaf pads and flowers float on the water surface. Lotus buds begin blooming onto flowers by summer.
The flowers are white to pink, sweet-scented, 10-25 cm diameter, and attract many insects including honeybees. Round, disc-like soft fruit pods develop from fertilized flowers. Each soft pad consists of polygonal pits encasing ovoid seeds.
Mature lotus seeds are black, ovoid, possess hard outer shell and measuring about the size of a green pea. Inside, the dicotyledon kernel is creamy-white with a light green plumule in between the cotyledons. Fresh, raw lotus kernel has a sweet chewy texture and tastes like that of green almonds. Dried seeds have a taste similar to chickpeas.