Are lotus seeds considered hot or cold in nature?

Lotus seeds are neither hot nor cold in nature; they are considered neutral and have a mild medicinal property, making them suitable for most people. The detailed analysis is as follows:

Lotus seeds have a sweet and astringent taste and a neutral nature. They act on the heart, spleen, and kidney meridians, offering functions of strengthening the spleen to stop diarrhea, benefiting the kidneys to consolidate essence, and nourishing the heart to calm the mind. Their neutral nature ensures they do not excessively incline toward either cold or heat when regulating the body, making them effective for improving diarrhea caused by weakness of the spleen and stomach or insomnia and palpitations caused by disharmony between the heart and kidney.

Although lotus seeds themselves are neutral, seeds containing the germ (lotus core) are slightly cooling in nature due to the bitter and cold properties of the core. This provides a heat-clearing and fire-reducing effect, making them suitable for individuals with excessive internal heat in the heart. In contrast, lotus seeds with the core removed are more neutral and mild, with enhanced effects of strengthening the spleen and nourishing deficiency, making them ideal for daily regulation by individuals with a weak spleen and stomach. Additionally, when lotus seeds are combined with different ingredients, their medicinal properties may change. For example, when cooked with warming ingredients like longan and red dates, the overall effect becomes warming; when cooked with cooling ingredients like mung beans, the effect becomes slightly cooling.

When consuming lotus seeds, one should choose an appropriate method based on individual constitution. If heat-clearing is required, the core may be retained; if spleen-strengthening is the goal, the core should be removed. It is important to control the quantity to avoid bloating caused by overconsumption. During cooking, ingredients can be selected according to specific needs to better enhance their therapeutic effects.