Know2eat

Lotus root

Nelumbo nucifera

What lotus root has been studied for

1 association assessed — none with dependable human evidence behind them yet. Strongest first.

  • 1 Insufficient
2 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About lotus root

The linked, air-channelled rhizome of the sacred lotus, cut crossways into the familiar lace-patterned slices. It stays crunchy through cooking and is braised, stir-fried, stuffed or deep-fried.

Also known as Renkon, Lian ou, Water lily root, Bhein

Gut & Digestive Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Insufficient

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Digestive comfort

Gut & Digestive Health
Insufficient evidence

Lotus root appears in traditional East Asian preparations for stomach complaints and coughs. There is no controlled human research testing it against any digestive outcome.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Lotus root

Ask about Lotus root

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories74 kcal4%
Protein2.6 g5%
Total fat0.1 g0%
Carbohydrate17.2 g6%
Fibre4.9 g18%
Water79.1 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.03 g0%
Monounsaturated fat0.02 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.02 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.014 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A0 µg0%
Vitamin C44 mg49%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Thiamin (B1)0.16 mg13%
Riboflavin (B2)0.22 mg17%
Niacin (B3)0.4 mg3%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.377 mg8%
Vitamin B60.258 mg15%
Folate13 µg3%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Minerals
Calcium45 mg3%
Iron1.16 mg6%
Magnesium23 mg5%
Phosphorus100 mg8%
Potassium556 mg12%
Sodium40 mg2%
Zinc0.39 mg4%
Copper0.257 mg29%
Manganese0.261 mg11%
Selenium0.7 µg1%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene0 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin0 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash0.97 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Lotus root, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 169250).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • boiledReduces vitamin C

    Lotus root is a reasonable source of vitamin C for a root, and that vitamin is water-soluble and heat-labile, so boiling removes a large share of it.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Worth knowing

    Raw aquatic plants and intestinal flukes

    Lotus root grown in ponds shared with pigs or cattle can carry the encysted stage of the intestinal fluke Fasciolopsis buski, and human infections have repeatedly been traced to eating raw water plants in parts of Asia. Cooking makes it safe; raw lotus root of uncertain origin does not.

  • Worth knowing

    Starchy for a vegetable

    Lotus root carries substantially more carbohydrate than most stem or root vegetables of similar bulk, which matters for anyone counting carbohydrate.