Lotus and its secrets

Lotus is a perennial water plant, grown as ornamental and for its edible rhizomes (roots) and seeds. The rhizomes are rich in starch and when baked (after steeped in water to remove any bitterness) it becomes sweet and mealy, somewhat like a sweet potato. These starchy rhizomes are eaten boiled, roasted and fried as chips.

The fruit(torus) of the plant is an enlarged receptacle containing 8 to 15 embedded seeds. The young fresh green seeds can be eaten raw after the removal of the bitter embryo, and the hard ripe acorn-like black seeds can be eaten raw like nuts, boiled or roasted like chestnuts. They can be dried and ground into flour, which is used for making bread. In China the roasted seeds are sold like peanuts.

These seeds contains 19 percent protein content and an edible oil also can be extracted from it.

The lotus flowers are used for the production of perfume.

In India, honey made by bees visiting Lotus flowers is considered a tonic known as 'Padmammadjhu' and it is used to treat eye disorders. The rhizome extract showed anti-diabetic and anti-obesity attributes.
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[image: edible seeds embedded in torus]


[image: the edible roots(rhizomes) of the plant]

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Sesame (Sesamum indicum) - Ellu in tamil

Sesame plants grows upto 1 to 2 feet high, grown for their small, obovate and flattened seeds. The harvesting season of sesame seeds are about 4 to 5 months. Sesame seeds are mainly used in baking, candy making and are also extracted for oil. Sesame oil is generally used as salad oil and in other foods.

Sesame seeds are rich in manganese, copper, calcium, vitamin B1 and vitamin E. They contain lignans, including unique content of sesamin, which are phytoestrogens with antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. Sesame seeds are also contain phytosterols associated with reduced levels of blood cholesterol. The nutrients of sesame seeds are better absorbed if they are ground or pulverized before consumption.

Since the sesame oil contains an antioxidant called sesamol, sesame oil itself and the foods fried in sesame oil will have a long shelf life. The ancient Babylon would eat a mixture of honey and sesame seeds (the mixture is called as halva) to prolong youth and beauty. Sesame oil can be used as a substitute for Olive oil in making the liniments, ointments and plasters.

Sesame oil is used for massage and health treatments of the body in the ayurvedic medicine system. Ayurveda views sesame oil as the most viscous of the plant oils.

Sesame meal, which is left after the oil is pressed from the seed, is an excellent high-protein feed for poultry and livestock.

[image: sesame seeds]