10 Health Benefits of Lotus Stem & its Side Effects

Lotus stem or Kamal kakdi, is (most of the times wrongly called as lotus root) very popular vegetable in India and several other Asian countries including China and Japan. Nelumbo nucifera is the scientific name of the lotus stem.

Lotus stems are long, plump and light brown in color and the height of the stem may vary anywhere between 2 to 4 meters. When the outer skin of the stem is peeled and then chopped in to pieces, you can find small holes inside it, which are nothing but air cubicles running through the entire lotus stem. This lotus stem is loaded with full of nutrition and has some tremendous health benefits.

The nutritional value of lotus stem is pretty impressive. It is rich in calcium, iron, fiber and many important minerals like zinc, manganese, magnesium, potassium, copper, etc. It is also loaded with Vitamin B, Vitamin E, vitamin K etc.

100 grams of lotus stem contains around 74 calories, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 2.5 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, 0.1 grams of fat, 0.39 mg of zinc, 0.261 mg of potassium, 23 mg of magnesium, 1.16 mg of Iron, 0.25 mg copper, 556 mg of potassium, 40 mg of Sodium, 44 mg of Vitamin C and Niacin, pyridoxine, selenium and Thiamine.

Lotus stems or kamal kakdi are loaded with rich fiber content, and dietary fiber adds bulk and helps in passing the stools easily, and thus prevents constipation greatly. Moreover, it is also beneficial in promoting digestive and bowel health.

One more health benefit of lotus stem is that it is very much beneficial for the heart health. This is because of the calcium content of the stem that makes it work greatly in influencing the heart function.

We already know that lotus stem or kamal kakdi contains calcium in it. This, the calcium content present in the stem influences the bone strength and bone density.

You can consume lotus stem so as to increase your intake of antioxidants. Edible lotus stem is proved to contain tryptophan, which is an amino acid that influences antioxidant activity. These antioxidants safeguard the cells of our body from free radicals, compounds found in the environmental toxins that can actually damage cells.

Lotus stem is very much useful for patients with diabetes and high blood pressure, as it helps in regulating both, blood sugar levels as well as the blood pressure. This is because the stem is rich in potassium which aids in regulating the blood pressure very effectively.

Lotus stem or kamal kakdi is loaded with a rich amount of vitamin C. Vitamin C is known to help in enhancing the immunity of a person and fight against the viral infections. So, lotus stem has some great benefits towards the immune system.

Lotus stem is also known for its benefits for skin and hair. Lotus stem is highly rich in vitamin C which is an excellent antioxidant and greatly prevents free radical damage. It also aids in collagen production, which is highly essential for healthy skin, hair as well as bones. Apart from this, lotus stem or kamal kakdi is rich in copper, which is very much beneficial for healthy hair.

Lotus stem or kamal kakdi is known to help in lowering the cholesterol. It is known that any food that is loaded with dietary fiber helps in lowering of cholesterol. Fiber actually binds with the fat present in the food and thus, greatly reduces the overall absorption of fat in the body. Consuming fiber rich foods like lotus stem on a regular basis and cutting down drastically the processed food from your diet will help you in keeping you healthy for long.

Lotus stem can also benefit in weight loss. Being loaded with fiber, low in calories and rich in nutrients, it is a perfect food which should be included in a weight loss plan.

Lotus stem is loaded with rich amounts of vitamin B, especially niacin, folate, thiamine, vitamin B6, and Pantothenic acid; whose deficiency leads to memory loss, irritability, tension and headaches. So, in order to reduce stress and have mental clarity, we must consume vitamin B rich vegetables such as lotus stem.

There may be some side effects of the lotus stem. Let us take a look on few of them below.

• Being excessively rich in fiber, lotus stem, slowly increase the quantity for your body to get used to the fiber.
• Since the lotus stem grows in mud, it is really difficult to clean it properly and there are this chances of getting parasitic infections when consumed raw or uncooked ones.
• It is to be noted that pregnant women must not eat raw lotus stem.

While selecting the lotus stem, you need to be very much sure in buying the ones that are firm, tender and those that does not have soft spots on them. Make sure to check that the skin of the lotus stem is smooth and unblemished. You can also get tinned lotus stem and frozen lotus stem too. However, it is advised not to buy the tinned lotus stem.

Though lotus stem offers a lot of health benefits, it is always essential to note that you must not take it to treat any medical condition without consulting with your physician, so as to keep away from the side effects of the stem.