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What are the functions and benefits of lotus seeds?

Jul 14, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Sun Lianqing
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, as a food with both medicinal and dietary uses, lotus seeds have various functions and benefits, including strengthening the spleen and stopping diarrhea, nourishing the heart and calming the mind, benefiting the kidneys and consolidating essence, providing nutritional supplementation, astringing the intestines and stopping leukorrhea. While consuming lotus seeds, one should also pay attention to moderation to avoid discomfort such as abdominal distension caused by excessive intake. Additionally, the lotus seed core has a bitter taste; if necessary, it can be removed according to personal preference to better exert its effects.

Generally speaking, as a food with both medicinal and dietary uses, lotus seeds have several functions and benefits, including strengthening the spleen to stop diarrhea, nourishing the heart to calm the mind, benefiting the kidneys to consolidate essence, providing nutritional support, and tightening the intestines to reduce excessive vaginal discharge. The specific effects are analyzed as follows:

1. Strengthening the spleen to stop diarrhea: Lotus seeds have a sweet and astringent taste with a neutral property and act on the spleen meridian. They help strengthen the spleen and stop diarrhea, and are suitable for symptoms such as poor appetite, indigestion, and chronic diarrhea caused by spleen weakness. They improve the function of the spleen and stomach and alleviate discomfort caused by diarrhea.

2. Nourishing the heart and calming the mind: Lotus seeds act on the heart and spleen meridians and help nourish the heart and calm the mind. They are suitable for symptoms such as restlessness, insomnia with irritability, excessive dreaming and easy awakening, and palpitations. They nourish the spirit, soothe emotions, improve sleep quality, and promote a more peaceful mental state.

3. Benefiting the kidneys and consolidating essence: Lotus seeds act on the kidney meridian and have the effect of benefiting the kidneys and consolidating essence. They are suitable for symptoms such as seminal emission, spermatorrhea, and soreness and weakness of the waist and knees caused by kidney deficiency. They nourish the kidneys, consolidate kidney essence, help improve kidney function, and enhance physical stability.

4. Providing nutritional support: Lotus seeds contain abundant proteins, carbohydrates, B-complex vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, which provide multiple nutrients to the body. They are suitable for individuals needing nutritional supplementation, meeting the body's needs for normal physiological activities and helping to strengthen physical constitution.

5. Tightening the intestines and reducing excessive vaginal discharge: With an astringent taste, lotus seeds have the effect of tightening the intestines and reducing excessive vaginal discharge. They are suitable for symptoms such as excessive vaginal discharge that is pale and watery, caused by spleen deficiency with dampness excess. Through their astringent effect, they reduce abnormal secretions and improve discomfort caused by spleen deficiency with dampness excess.

When consuming lotus seeds, it is important to maintain moderation to avoid discomfort such as abdominal distension caused by excessive intake. Additionally, the bitter lotus seed core can be removed according to personal preference to better exert its effects.

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