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August 29, 2017 By Mitali Ambekar 28 Comments

Fox nut – The Lotus Seeds and its nutritional benefits

roasted-makhana

As a kid my mother use to feed me fox nuts which I hated as it was tasteless. Then few years ago someone I know introduced me to it all over again and nothing had changed. I still hated and wondered why do people eat it, what do they like about it?

Thankfully, my mom had a way to get me eat fox nuts. She roasted the nuts and tempered it with some condiments and spices and there it was the new version of the healthiest popcorn. Crunchy, yummy and the best tea time snacks.

Fox nuts are lotus flower’s seed. It is grown in water and is largely found in India and know as ‘Makhana’ here. Also found in Korea, Japan and Russia and known as ‘Gorgon Nut’ there. It is also known as Euryale Ferox.   This is an Asian water plant and is mainly cultivated for its edible seeds which look like popcorn.

It is highly nutritious food that has been used as a snack all over and also used in different recipes especially in Indian cuisines. It can be had in the roasted or fried form. It can be stored for a longer time if kept in air tight containers. Chinese use it as a part of medicines as it has various medicinal properties too. They use to strengthen spleen and kidneys.

Fox nut and its beneficial attributes:

  • Fox Nuts are considered superior to dry fruits such as almonds, walnut, cashew nut and coconut in terms o sugar, protein, ascorbic acid and phenol content
  • It is high on anti oxidant and thus acts an anti-aging food, helping in preventing white hair, wrinkles, premature ageing etc.
  • It is high in fiber and so helps to avoid constipation. They help the body to flush out the waste and thus prevent the accumulation of toxins 
  • It is also an aphrodisiac, thus helping in fertility issues like premature ejaculation, increasing the quality of semen and also helps women in overcoming infertility.
  • These nuts are low on saturated fats and Sodium and high on Magnesium, Potassium and helps in controlling high blood pressure and diabetes too.
  • It helps in controlling palpitation and insomnia as it has calming properties
  • It helps in reliving arthritis- numbness and pain in joints
  • As it is has astringent properties it also helps cure diarrhea and have better appetite.
  • It strengthens the body and reduces burning sensation and quenches thirst.
  • These nuts are a type of seed that could be included in the daily cereals or soup to maintain good health. Since it has good amount of protein it is considered apt snack for vegetarians. But, because it is neutral in taste, usually no one prefers to eat it raw.

Here is a my mother’s simple recipe to make it more tastier

1) Heat 2 tspn of homemade ghee in a pan.

2) Add salt and turmeric and stir it for some time. You can even add red chilies, curry leaves and mustard seeds to it.

3) Add Fox nuts to it and roast for some time.

Best snack with your tea/ coffee or in between snack.

It is even eaten as a fasting food in India as it considered a very pious. And, is also used to worship God.

Apart from eating it as a snack or in your breakfast cereal it can also be added to a sweet dish or a vegetable curry or in Rice preparation.

About Mitali Ambekar

A Post Graduate diploma in Sports Science and Fitness Nutrition from SNDT Juhu, Mitali Ambekar has always been inclined to sports since her childhood. As Sports Nutrition Practitioner for the last 4 years, she has come to realize how nutrition plays an important aspect in every sporting activity that one chooses. She has been associated with various Gyms in the city of Mumbai and has been consulting sportsmen and women from Cricket, Badminton, Taekwando and Marathon and others who are on their path to fitness on nutrition and how they can perform better. This National level Rifle Shooter apart from sports is also passionate about Wildlife and Candid photography. And, when she is not training, she is listening to music and reading books

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Comments

  1. Ronak Shah says

    March 30, 2016 at 1:02 pm

    Are lotus seeds same as euryale ferox [fox nut]? Because both are from a different genus but are called makahana in Hindi.

    Reply
    • Ekta says

      January 22, 2018 at 4:04 pm

      yes both are same.

      Reply
    • Yash Pal says

      May 8, 2018 at 12:35 pm

      Lotus seeds are not makhanas and so far as I know, are not called makhanas colloquially . I do not know how the food bloggers equate makhana with lotus seed.

      Reply
  2. Rashi B says

    May 26, 2016 at 8:24 pm

    I absolutely love Makhana. I too, like you, did not like them too much without added flavors. But then my mom started adding it to smoothies, and serving it for breakfast in my milk instead of store-bought cereal (which is high in sugars). This changed the way I eat. They are a very beneficial ingredient and as you mentioned, can be made salty as a tea time snack, into a kheer (Indian dessert – custard) or just used as cereal in milk in lieu of store-bought cereal!

    Reply
  3. Rashida says

    February 2, 2017 at 10:11 am

    Hi,
    I was looking for the benefit of eating Makhana and bump here…good article.
    as a child and grown up I always enjoyed munching Makhana, now giving it to my 11 months old angel and Mash Allah!she loves it too…we do make kheer using this seed and also have it roasted in to ghee and later sprinkle pepper and salt.

    Reply
    • Jack I Think? says

      July 21, 2019 at 7:26 am

      Well I guess I’m the only one that actually likes to eat it raw instead of cooked hmmm

      Reply
  4. Brandy says

    February 19, 2017 at 10:00 pm

    Oh! Yes they are more healthier than cereals.

    Reply
  5. Warren says

    March 11, 2017 at 4:13 pm

    Do you have any other cooking method to enhance its flavor and aroma?

    Reply
  6. Deepa Bhatnagar says

    March 28, 2017 at 10:38 pm

    Love this. thanks for the recipe and the cereal idea,

    Reply
  7. piyush vardhan singh says

    July 23, 2017 at 7:22 am

    are they good against ‘iron deficiency anaemia’?

    Reply
  8. Saloni says

    September 3, 2017 at 5:05 pm

    Hi Mitali…is it good for babies and toddlers? I used to dry roast foxnuts then grind it to powder form. While feeding it mixed the powder with water n added little ghee. I hope that grinding foxnuts doesn’t change its nutritional value? Looking for your reply.

    Reply
  9. SF rahaman says

    September 15, 2017 at 9:11 pm

    This is a very important information.

    Reply
  10. Maria says

    September 21, 2017 at 4:59 am

    I love these roasted makhanas and I can’t seem to stop once i pop one in my mouth . Addictive but guilt free . Just want to know how much of these is too much ?

    Reply
  11. Anju sharma says

    October 10, 2017 at 4:40 pm

    I also love eating makhanas.. I roast them in salt like road side halkers roast peanuts and popcorns in a big karahi in salt..Very nice knowledgeable article.. In Delhi different types of masala wala Makhanas are on sale…

    Reply
  12. Charles Locher says

    October 16, 2017 at 12:47 am

    Thanks you. However, I found it curious you hated the foxnuts your mother gave you and then you give us your mother’s recipe.

    Reply
  13. Mahesh says

    January 2, 2018 at 11:34 am

    Very smooth blog post . I surely love this site . Continue the good work!

    Reply
  14. padma says

    March 3, 2018 at 5:44 pm

    Thanks for the valuable information. I would likee to share more information.
    Although lotus seeds as a part of one’s diet might seem surprising for many, it is one of the healthiest foods to consume, especially if you are expecting a baby. This seed is extracted from the middle portion of the lotus flower. It is eaten mainly in south and south-east Asia. It is packed with lots of nutrients, namely calcium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, potassium, vitamin B-complexes, amino acids, and lots of antioxidants. These seeds are eaten as ingredients in soups, curries, or are simply deep fried or baked to be eaten as snacks, just like popcorn!
    https://parentinghealthybabies.com/health-benefits-of-lotus-seeds-for-pregnant-moms/

    Reply
  15. Rekha says

    March 10, 2018 at 7:22 pm

    R makhanas hot or cold in nature….can they b given to pregnant women

    Reply
  16. archana chanana says

    April 12, 2018 at 2:56 pm

    We had been regularly consuming fox nuts since many years , but roasting it would take a long time to make it crisp. The new way to cook , we found out , is in the air fryer with little oil and salt ,
    Air fry it for 14 to 15 minutes at 180 degree. We are extemely happy about this new way of cooking and the comsumption has gone up by many many more times something like more than a kilo in a month.
    MUST TRY.

    Reply
  17. sanjay says

    May 8, 2018 at 3:55 pm

    this is a great article about fox nuts. I wanted to know one more thing does it has any other nutritional value which is good for muscle building for sports.

    Reply
  18. Anjum Afroz says

    July 28, 2018 at 6:16 pm

    Makhana for sure is not lotus seed.
    Makhana and lotus both grow in water.
    While lotus leaves and stem and the underwater fruit cluster have a smooth texture, the underside of makhana leaves its stem and fruit cluster have numerous spines or spikes which can be very painful if you prick yourself.
    A cursory google search will reveal that makhana and lotus are two different things.

    Reply
  19. Ruchi Gupta says

    August 13, 2018 at 11:30 pm

    How much carbs are in 100gms of Foxnut. .
    To avail its its health benfits how much should be consumed everyday

    Reply
  20. Quaid Johar says

    November 25, 2018 at 11:27 pm

    Lotus & Lillly both are of aquatic origin and same family.
    Lotus has bigger flower and its seeds are outside water over a stem shoot.
    Lilly has its fruit below water level.

    Reply
  21. M says

    October 23, 2019 at 6:22 am

    It’s easy to roast in microwave with little ghee or oil ( I use olive) and necessary herbs or just salt, little turmeric and chilli powder optional. Roast for about 1.30 minutes. That’s all!!

    Reply
  22. James D. Watkins says

    February 21, 2020 at 5:47 pm

    The article has a beneficiary content, which has helped me a lot in understanding, Lotus Seeds have many health benefits like’s body to function properly, there should be proper blood circulation so that the oxygen is pumped to all the blood cells. When this happens correctly, functionality and energy levels of all the vital organs can be enhanced.

    Reply
  23. Indira patel says

    September 21, 2020 at 6:04 pm

    I started this nuts with other ingredients like poppy seeds , sesame seeds , fennel seeds and almonds . Made powder and taking two spoonful with hot milk everyday before bed , it’s really effective . I had heel surgery in January but pain stayed there till August , dr. couldn’t do anything till I started this method , my pain is almost gone . MAKHANE ARE MAIN IN MY POWDER .

    Reply
  24. SARMA says

    December 23, 2020 at 12:38 pm

    Is it useful for controlling diabetes. How much to consume

    Reply
  25. Sonia says

    February 14, 2021 at 8:02 am

    Makhana controls gas… Especially during pregnancy wen one can’t take meds, makahanas dry roasted without oil is a life savor

    Reply

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