Have You Heard of Lotus Root?

I love me some lotus root. I didn’t hear about this root until I got into macrobiotics. It is found all over the East and is the edible root of the lotus flower. The flavor is somewhat hard to describe, and the texture is crunchy. You can steam it, fry it, use in in soups, and make a tea with it to help soothe chest congestion (perfect for the upcoming flu and cold season).

If you had to guess which organ this root vegetable helps support, which do you think it would be? As I show in this post, fruits and vegetables have a funny way of looking like certain organs. Macrobiotics and Chinese Medicine use the 5 Element Theory, in which different foods correspond with different seasons, tastes, and support different organs. Right now, we are in the Fall/Metal season. Metal goes from Autumn, September 21st to the winter solstice on December 21st. During this time, energy is moving inward, plants are going dormant, the dark of night is longer, leaves fall from the trees, and everything contracts. It’s colder, we stay inside more, and animals get ready to hibernate.

The organs that go with Metal are the lungs and colon. So if you guessed that lotus root helps support the lungs, then you guessed RIGHT!

Last night I fried some up, and it was delicious. If you slice them really thin and fry them on medium-high heat in a little oil, they get crispy like potato chips. Be sure to flip each one after a minute or so and drain on a paper towel. It’s a bit time consuming but SO worth it. These Lotus Root Chips are a healthier alternative to chips because they are high in fiber, rich in vitamins C, B6, and a whole slew of vitamins and minerals.

Lotus seeds are delicious too! Especially with pressure-cooked brown rice.