Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)

• Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) has been used throughout Egypt, the Middle East, India, and China since ancient times, primarily as a food, but also as a medicine. The flowers, seeds, leaves, fruit, and rhizomes of the lotus are all edible. The petals of the flower are used as a wrap for foods in Asia, and the rhizome is a common ingredient in soups and stir-fries.
• Lotus flowers, leaves, seeds, and fruit have been used traditionally to treat a variety of conditions, including diarrhea, abnormal bleeding, poor digestion, fever, and insomnia. There is not enough scientific research on the use of lotus for treatment of any condition.