Nezha used lotus root powder to rebuild his body! So what is the nutritional code of lotus root powder?

Image from: People's Daily

Just now, "Nezha: The Devil Boy Conquers the Dragon King" topped the Chinese box office history. (If you haven't watched it yet, go watch it now. Chinese people don't lie to Chinese people.)

As someone who has been focusing on popularizing food and nutrition for more than a decade, I was deeply impressed by the scene in the movie where lotus root powder was used to recast the bodies of Nezha and Ao Bing, which once again aroused my long-dormant passion for popularizing science. (After all, the last update was 69 days ago.)

The following clip contains spoilers and is only for scientific purposes. Please forgive me:

Image from: Internet

The movie begins with Immortal Taiyi reshaping the bodies of Nezha and Ao Bing. All the people in Chentang Pass are mobilized to dig lotus roots, wash lotus roots, cut lotus roots, and make lotus root powder. They are very busy. They look so ugly when they are just recast.

Image from: Internet

My hometown is Hubei, and lotus root starch is a food I often ate when I was a child. So today we are going to talk about lotus root starch.

How is lotus root starch made?

Lotus root starch is of course made from lotus roots. The traditional method of making lotus root starch requires multiple processes such as selecting lotus roots, grinding, washing, bleaching, draining and roasting.

First, select fresh old lotus roots, wash them, and then crush them with a mortar or grind them into lotus root pulp with a beater.

Next, put the lotus root pulp into a cloth bag and rinse it with clean water, stirring the lotus root residue while rinsing until clear water is filtered out.

Then, soak the rinsed lotus root pulp in water for 1 to 2 days, stirring it 1-2 times a day. After it becomes clear, remove the fine lotus root residue floating on the water surface and the mud at the bottom, and repeatedly precipitate the powder pulp in the middle until the lotus root powder becomes white.

Finally, drain the lotus root powder after rinsing and settling, break it into dough, dry it in the sun, cut it into thin slices, and bake or sun-dry it to make lotus root powder.

That’s why so many people are needed to help with the production like in the movies, after all, we are in a hurry.

The modern process of making lotus root powder is much more efficient. It goes through the steps of cleaning, crushing, filtering, sand removal and purification, concentration and refining, dehydration, drying, and packaging. Many steps are done by machines and do not require too many people to participate. It can be quickly made and sold on major platforms. The quality will also be much better (there will be no scenes of picking feet or blowing noses), which is also due to the advancement of science and technology.

What is the nutritional value of lotus root starch?

Image from: Screenshot of shopping platform

Lotus root starch has a unique taste and turns into a translucent paste after brewing. One important reason is that its main component is carbohydrates, about 90% of which are carbohydrates, most of which are starch and some soluble dietary fiber.

Carbohydrates can provide energy for the human body; dietary fiber helps promote intestinal peristalsis, improve intestinal health, and prevent constipation. As for the rest, lotus root powder has no other nutrients, and there is almost no protein or fat.

Hubei's famous lotus root starch, image source: screenshot of shopping platform

It is worth noting that lotus root powder is relatively rich in iron, so people say it can supplement iron. It is often given as a nutritional supplement to relatives and friends, especially women in confinement, pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Can lotus root powder replenish qi and blood?

The iron content of lotus root starch varies greatly. For example, some literature shows that it is 0.56 mg/100 grams.

Image source: Reference [2]

Some products online, such as the one in the picture above, have a content of 7 mg/100 g, which may have been fortified with iron during the production process.

However, considering that people only take two spoonfuls of lotus root powder each time, the iron content they can get is very limited. Therefore, its effect of replenishing qi and blood is very limited, so don't have too high expectations.

Who can eat lotus root powder?

For normal and healthy people, lotus root starch is safe to eat. Especially for those who have never eaten it, you can buy it and try it.

However, lotus root powder has some special effects for some special groups of people. Because lotus root powder is a liquid diet after being mixed, for people with stomach diseases or stomach discomfort, eating it in moderation will not increase the gastrointestinal burden, but can supplement nutrition for the body. In addition, the dietary fiber in lotus root powder helps promote gastrointestinal motility. For people with slow gastrointestinal motility, moderate intake can help digestion.

Therefore, lotus root powder is a good choice for the elderly, people recovering from illness, people with poor gastrointestinal function, and those who need to control their diet.

Image source: Reference [3]

Can diabetics eat lotus root powder?

Although the main component of pure lotus root powder is starch, its glycemic index is very low, at 33, and it is a low-glycemic index food. Therefore, diabetics can also eat lotus root powder.

However, it is important to note that you should not add extra sugar, honey or syrup when eating. Many people may think that pure lotus root powder is too light and not tasty. Also, be careful not to buy lotus root powder with added sugar.

How to eat lotus root starch healthily?

01

Buy pure lotus root powder

According to the General Rules for Lotus Root Powder Quality, lotus root powder is divided into three types: pure lotus root powder, instant lotus root powder and prepared lotus root powder. Pure lotus root powder is made only from lotus roots, while other auxiliary materials can be added to instant lotus root powder and prepared lotus root powder, but the content of pure lotus root powder should be ≥50%.

There are many kinds of lotus root powder on the market. In order to pursue the taste, dried fruits, sugar, maltodextrin and other ingredients are added. Although the taste is good, the glycemic index becomes very high. Therefore, when buying lotus root powder, you should first look at the standard number. It is best to choose pure lotus root powder.

02

Observe the color of the lotus root starch and don’t choose one that is too bright.

The color of pure lotus root powder is usually white or light pink. If the color is too white or too dark, there may be a problem.

(If you see deep red and blue lotus root powder in the movie, it is probably the effect of pigment.)

03

Be careful with the amount and eat with low-glycemic foods

Lotus root powder is mainly starch, so when eating lotus root powder, you should first pay attention to the right amount.

You can take it as a supplement to staple food. If you eat lotus root powder, you can eat less other staple foods.

You can also eat it with some coarse grains, whole grains, beans and other foods with a low glycemic index, which is better for stabilizing blood sugar.

04

Try not to add sugar, honey or syrup.

Pure lotus root powder tastes relatively bland, but this is its original flavor. When eating lotus root powder, give priority to experiencing its pure taste and flavor, and try not to add sugar, honey, or syrup.

Of course, if you only eat it occasionally, adding some sweetness is fine. Friends who like to eat it frequently should pay attention to control.

It can be eaten with some other ingredients, such as raisins, peanuts, milk, apples, etc., which can not only enrich the taste but also increase nutrition.

05

Note:

Lotus root powder should be stored in a dry, cool place, away from moisture and direct sunlight. After opening, the lotus root powder should be eaten as soon as possible to avoid deterioration.

Finally, congratulations to Nezha for his success. I also hope that this article can help everyone better understand lotus root powder while watching the movie, and choose and eat it reasonably, so that this traditional local delicacy can be better accepted and passed on by more people, adding a little health and deliciousness to life.

References

[1] Nong Xunxue. Lotus root starch processing method[J]. New Rural Technology, 2010, (14): 55.

[2] Sun Songhe, Fang Ming, Xu Xueshu, et al. Analysis of nutritional components of lotus root starch [J]. Food Science and Technology, 2009, 34(06): 262-266.

[3] Food Composition Tables of China, 6th edition.