"Fox Nut"                            

"Gorgon Nut"

"Euryale Ferox"

"Makhana"

“Phool Makhana”

Any idea what these things are?

You were wondered if a single seed has all these different names. You’re right! It’s "Edible Lotus Seed".

Like the different names, it has many health benefits too. It is highly nutritious and “fully organic”non-cereal food.What most people call ‘Makhana’ or ‘Phool-makhana’ in India, is the popped seed of lotus plant. 

Lotus Plant– a symbol of beauty and purity in Hinduism and Buddhism. 

It grows extensively in the stagnant water of wetlands, ponds and lakes and is native of Eastern Asia and is found from India. It is also cultivated in China and Japan mainly for medicinal use. As Makhana or the Lotus plant is harvested in stagnant wetlands, no fertilizers or pesticides are used in the entire cultivation, thus making it naturally organic.

These seeds are used in many dishes of India. Because of their heavenly nature, they are considered as very pious food and are used in many rituals, Pooja and Havan making it God’s Food. Extracts from different parts of this water plant including leaves, stems, roots and seeds have been reported to show several benefits, such as:

  • Antioxidant
  • Free radical scavenging
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Immune-modulatory activities 

Now coming to its Nutrient content, they are good sources of protein, carbohydrates, fibre, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, zinc and calcium

Fox nuts are low in fat and Sodium. Being low in fat and high in carbohydrates, these are nutritionally distinct from nuts and seeds. However, they are nutritionally superior to nuts such as almonds, walnuts and cashew nuts in terms of sugar, protein, ascorbic acid and phenol content. 

Health Benefits:

  • Their low sodium and high magnesium content make them useful for those suffering from heart disease, high blood pressure, Diabetes and Obesity.        
  • Fox Nut contains Flavonoids which are antioxidants and reverse the adverse effects of free radicals in the body. 
  • They also prevent the inflammations in the body.
  • Most significantly, the glycemic index of lotus seed is significantly lower than most high carbohydrate foods like rice, bread etc. Thus it appears that lotus seed may have a beneficial effect in diabetic individuals, and may be one of the more appropriate foods for them.
  •  According to Ayurveda, lotus seeds have astringent properties that have specific benefits to the kidneys, helping to restore vital energy with the body.
  • It helps to build action in dysentery and frequent urination.
  • 25 g of makhana a day means a healthy diet/food for the whole family.
  • Fox nuts can also treat insomnia, palpitations and irritability.       

 Food Preparations:

      Makhana or the fox nut can be eaten raw, roasted. Or ground and boiled into a syrup or paste.The most common use of the seed is in the form of lotus seed paste, which is used extensively in Chinese pastries as well as in Japanese desserts. In India, we roast it and add spices. It is much better than popcorn!Homemade roasted makhana can help kids get rid of the junk chips.Lotus seeds hold a promising future as an alternative gluten-free protein supplement. Blending its flour with other nutritionally rich legumes like dals and soybean or millets like bajra, jowar will be of immense value. Now no wonder everyone would love to have it as part of their diet. 

Will you too?

You should. Because “You are what you eat”