Lotus Root Benefits, Side Effects: Nutrition, Pros and Cons (2024)

What are lotus root benefits and side effects? Is lotus root vegan? Gluten free? Acidic or alkaline? Low fodmap? Good for you? Healthy? Sustainable? Here are lotus root pros and cons: all the info on lotus root that every ethical consumer wants to know…

Food is something we consume every day and if you’re like me, you do all the research you can to make sure you don’t hurt yourself, the planet, animals or others when shopping. As an ethical consumer myself, I am giving you all the info I’ve found on lotus root benefits and side effects.

You are going to learn all about lotus root benefits and side effects. This will include lotus root benefits for your health and potential risks, lotus root water footprint and carbon footprint, sustainability, if lotus root are vegan or impact animals in other ways, and much more.

After learning if lotus root are good or bad for you, the environment, animals and human rights, you will be able to make the best choices you can the next time you buy food.

This post is all about lotus root benefits and side effects that every ethical consumer should know.

Lotus Root Benefits And Side Effects

Health

Lotus root benefits for health may include:

• aided digestion
• boosted energy
• constipation prevention
• hydration
• stress reduction
• boosted immunity
• detoxification
• blood pressure regulation
• weight loss
• skin and hair health
• water retention prevention

Additionally, lotus root is…

• Gluten Free
• Not a Common Food Allergen

Environment

Water footprint: low, it takes 387 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of starchy roots and tubers / 46 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of starchy roots and tubers

Carbon footprint: low, 0.4 kg CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of starchy roots, a car driving equivalent of 1 miles or 1.5 kilometers

Destruction: low, there is no known significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, etc. as long as pesticides have not been used, be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc.

Lotus root is…

• Sustainable

Animals

Kills: none, lotus root production does not require any animals to die

Harms: none, lotus root production does require any animals to be used

Indirectly kills or harms: none, no animals are indirectly killed or harmed from lotus root production as long as toxic chemicals have not been used, be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as pesticides harm and kill wildlife and ecosystems by contaminating soil, water, air and plants that animals eat

Lotus root is…

• Vegan
• Harmful to wildlife and ecosystems unless organic

Laborers

Health and safety: varies, overall, agriculture continues to be one of the most dangerous industries, farmworkers may be subject to dehydration, heat stroke, unprotected exposure to harmful, toxic chemicals and pesticides, unsafe machinery and clean drinking water may not always accessible

Living conditions: varies, laborers are often exploited, they may face tough working conditions including long hours in the sun and heat performing physically exhausting tasks, labor laws and rights may or may not be in place, even if worker protection exists, employer violations may go unreported, refugees and migrant workers are especially vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment, fearing consequences of job loss or deportation

Wages: varies, generally farmworkers earn meager wages, there are many cases of underpaid agricultural workers, wage theft and no overtime payment or benefits

Lotus root…

• May have laborer issues

Where does most lotus root come from?

The world’s top lotus root exporting country is Italy, followed by Netherlands, Spain, Mexico, China, USA, Israel, Germany, Canada and UK.

Is lotus root nutritious?

Yes! Lotus root is full of important nutrients, minerals, and vitamins. Additionally, lotus root is high in fiber and vitamin C.

Is lotus root gluten free?

Yes, lotus root is gluten free but seasoned, dried or processed lotus root may contain gluten. Lotus root is a type of vegetable root and tuber, therefore making it a naturally gluten free food.

Celiac and gluten sensitivity symptoms are similar and may include:

• recurring abdominal pain
• chronic diarrhea
• constipation
• tingling
• numbness in hands and feet
• chronic fatigue
• joint pain
• unexplained infertility
• low bone density (osteopenia or osteoporosis)

There are hundreds of potential symptoms, many of which are also symptoms of other conditions.

Going gluten free easier than ever with this: Gluten and Gluten Free Foods List

Is lotus root a common food allergen?

See Also

Lotus Root - Food Literacy Center

No, lotus root is not a common food allergen. Some people may experience allergic reactions to lotus root but it is relatively rare by comparison.

A group of the eight major allergenic foods, AKA the Big-8, include:

• milk
• eggs
• fish
• crustacean shellfish
• tree nuts
• peanuts
• wheat
• soybeans

Severe food allergies can be life threatening. Following ingestion of a food allergen, a person with food allergies can experience a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.

Persons may still be allergic to and have serious reactions to foods other than the eight foods identified by the law.

Be aware of common dietary restrictions and food allergens with this: The Big 8 Most Common Food Allergens List

Water footprint of lotus root?

Lotus root has a low water footprint compared to other foods.

It takes 387 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of starchy roots / 46 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of starchy roots.

Did you know that water is a finite, non-renewable resource?

How much water does it take to produce an apple? A serving of rice? A steak dinner?

We need to be aware of “water footprints”. That is, the amount of fresh water utilized in the production or supply of goods we consume. As it turns out it takes significantly more water to yield foods that come from animals than foods that come from plants. Imagine how much water a cow needs to consume to generate a piece of beef. Not only how much water a single cow drinks, rather all the water that went into producing the crops that the cow ate.

Find out how much water your food consumes with this: Water Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List

Carbon footprint of lotus root?

Lotus root has a low carbon footprint.

It takes around 0.4 kg CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of starchy roots, a car driving equivalent of 1 miles or 1.5 kilometers.

When calculating carbon emissions, some factors may include…

• farm equipment
• animal feed production
• hothouses (greenhouses)
• food processing
• packaging
• transport
• refrigeration
• freezing
• package waste and more

But that’s not all!

It’s best to keep the following in mind when grocery shopping:

• shopping locally reduces transportation emissions
• food without packaging reduces waste as well as the carbon footprint
• refrigerated and frozen foods increase carbon emissions
• seasonal foods reduce carbon emissions from hothouses (greenhouses)
• growing plant-based foods at home is the most environmentally sustainable method with zero carbon footprint

Find out how much carbon your food emits with this: Carbon Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List

Is lotus root sustainable?

Lotus root production is relatively sustainable. There is no significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, etc. as long as pesticides are not used. Be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc. when using regenerative practices.

A2018 Oxford University study– which is the most comprehensive analysis to date of the damage farming does to the planet – found that ‘avoiding meat and dairy is the single biggest way to reduce your impact on Earth’ as animal farming provides just 18% of calories but takes up 83% of our farmland.

Consuming animal products and byproducts is not environmentally friendly and is one of the worst things for the Earth. Not only is meat production wasteful, it causes enormous amounts ofpollution. The industry is one of the biggest causes ofclimate change.

Is lotus root vegan?

Yes, lotus root is vegan. Lotus root is a root vegetable and not an animal product or byproduct, therefore making it a vegan food.

Animals of factory farming are suffering. They live in horrific conditions that often include confinement, physical abuse and unnatural environments…so much so that they need to receive antibiotics to keep from getting ill or spreading disease. Growth hormones allow all kinds of animals to become fatter faster and live short lives.

Because we cannot see for ourselves how these animals live and what they endure does not mean it isn’t happening. The meat, poultry and dairy industries do everything they can to distance us from knowing how our food comes to be in order to keep us in the dark about what we support each time we buy animal derived products and byproducts.

Go vegan for animals!

It’s the best way to help animals and it’s not as difficult as you may think. Speak for animals with your actions, for they cannot speak at all.

Going vegan is easier than ever, at a glance with this: Vegan and Non Vegan Foods List

Does lotus root have human rights issues?

At this time, there are no known specific reports of worker mistreatment regarding lotus root farming but that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. Lotus root may or may not have labor issues.

Did you know the single largest employer in the world is agriculture? The labor involved behind each and every product cannot go unrecognized.

Some known problems include workplace health and safety, child labor, gender inequality, inadequate pay, wage theft and exploitation. Workers can even experience harassment, humiliation and violence and unfair employers often fail to provide laborers with access to shade, drinking water, restrooms and breaks. Consequently, laborers can face nausea, dizziness, heat exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke -the leading cause of farmworker death!

Such mistreatment is like modern day slavery. Workers are often afraid to report issues because they fear it will result in losing their jobs or deportation.

Fair trade organizations fight to ensure better social, environmental and economic standards.

We can improve people’s lives with foods we eat every day simply by buying products that are certified fair trade.

This post was all about lotus root benefits and side effects.

Sources:

Lotus root, raw – FoodData Central

Lotus Root Inspection Instructions – Agricultural Marketing