Description

DONG THAP PINK LOTUS TEA

For many centuries, people have been drawn to the lotus flower (a.k.a. Nelumbo Nucifera) for its beautiful appearance and pleasant scent. Dong Thap pink lotus tea was created from the idea of bringing the fragrant lotus scent of heaven and earth into your daily life. The uniqueness of the lotus flower has led to its wide use throughout history – becoming the wellness go-to for both its practical and spiritual benefits.

Ancient Egyptians and Greeks used it as a symbol in their art and architecture. Asian cultures use lotus petals to flavour sweets, soups and tea. Lotus is also a popular ingredient in cooking today—the root, stem and leaves are cooked into dishes like curries, while the flower buds are often pickled. In China, lotus flowers are popular with various meanings and benefits spiritually, aesthetically and even health-wise.

Here are some of the lesser known but most powerful benefits of the lotus flower.

1. THE LOTUS HAS BEEN A FUNCTIONAL FOOD AND HERB MEDICINE FOR OVER 2,000 YEARS

According to this 2019 research study on traditional and modern use of lotus, the lotus flower has been used as a vegetable, functional food and herb medicine for over 2,000 years. It also contains a broad spectrum of at least 255 constituents belonging to different chemical groups, including proteins, amino acids, polysaccharides, starch, flavonoids, alkaloids, essential oils, triterpenoids, steroids and glycosides.

Lotus has been used has food and herb medicine for a long time.

More surprisingly, different parts of the lotus flower hold their own unique benefits for our bodies. For example:

Lotus rhizome and seed are traditionally used to treat chronic dyspepsia, enteritis, hematuria, insomnia, palpitations, tissue inflammation, cancer, improving appetite and memory and boosting immunity.
Lotus leaves and plumules are traditionally used to treat diarrhoea, hemoptysis, metrorrhagia, hyperlipidemia, obesity, nervous disorders, insomnia, high fevers with restlessness and cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and arrhythmia.
Lotus flower has long been used as a traditional medicine to treat fever, diarrhoea, premature ejaculation and hyperdipsia.

2. THE BENEFITS OF LOTUS FLOWER FOR SKIN AND HAIR

Lotus flowers are rich in proteins, minerals and vitamins. They contain many active ingredients that can bring profound benefits to your skin and hair.

According to Leanne Savage, Acala Stem’s founder, zinc, vitamin B6, vitamin C in lotus can help make your skin complexion brighter.

“It’s proven antibacterial and antifungal, which has huge benefits to the skin, especially controlling excess oil production. It also helps tame acne, which is why our face masks were so popular. When you wear masks made from synthetic fibres, your skin can’t breathe, so acne will break out,” Leanne explains.

Another significant benefit of lotus flower is its anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce irritation and redness in your skin.

3. HAS ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES

The lotus plant contains many flavonoid and alkaloid compounds that may act as antioxidants .

Antioxidants help neutralize reactive molecules known as free radicals. If free radicals build up in your body, they can cause oxidative stress, which damages cells and contributes to disease development

Some of the antioxidant compounds in lotus include kaempferol, catechin, chlorogenic acid, and quercetin. The antioxidant activity of lotus appears to be most concentrated in its seeds and leaves.

While there’s limited research on the human health effects of consuming lotus, it’s thought that these antioxidant compounds might protect against diseases that stem from oxidative stress.

In particular, they may have anticancer effects, protect against Alzheimer’s disease, and prevent liver damage.

One test-tube study found that the leaves, petals, and stamen — the pollen-producing part of the plant — had strong antioxidant activity and inhibited enzymes involved in Alzheimer’s disease.

Still, more human studies on the antioxidant and disease-preventing effects of lotus are needed to better understand its potential benefits.

6. MAY FIGHT INFLAMMATION

The compounds in lotus may also have anti-inflammatory properties.

Chronic inflammation can result from a long-term infection, exposure to harmful substances, a poor diet, smoking, and a lack of exercise. Over time, inflammation can damage tissues and contribute to diseases like clogged arteries and heart disease, cancers, and diabetes.

Inflammatory processes in your body involve cells known as macrophages. Macrophages secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are small proteins that signal immune responses.

Studies show that some of the compounds in lotus, like quercetin and catechin, may help prevent or mitigate these inflammatory pathways.

Extracts from both the leaves and seeds of lotus may exhibit these anti-inflammatory properties.

One test-tube study found that lotus leaf extracts could inhibit pro-inflammatory compounds, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), nitric oxide (NO), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2).

Another test-tube study using mouse cells found that both lotus seed and leaf extracts decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory genes.

While these results suggest that parts of the lotus plant help fight inflammation, studies in humans are needed.

5. LOTUS TEA ACTS AS AN ANTIBACTERIAL AGENT

Lotus has been studied for its antibacterial effects, including against bacteria in your mouth.

How lotus exhibits antibacterial properties is not clear, but the many beneficial compounds it contains likely play a role.

Studies suggest that lotus leaf extract can fight bacterial species that cause cavities and gum infections. Thus, it has potential as an ingredient in toothpaste and other oral hygiene products.

However, it’s important to note that these studies were conducted in test tubes. Research in humans is needed to better understand the potential of using lotus to treat oral infections.

6. MAY HELP LOWER BLOOD SUGAR

Animal studies suggest that compounds in lotus could help lower blood sugar levels. High blood sugar can be common in individuals with diabetes and lead to complications.

One study found that lotus leaf extract reduced blood sugar levels in rabbits with diabetes significantly more than a standard diabetes medication .

Another study showed that mice who received lotus seed extract experienced reduced blood sugar levels.

Additionally, research in rats with gestational diabetes found that a polysaccharide, a type of carbohydrate, from lotus leaf reduced fasting blood sugar levels.

LOTUS FLOWER: A CALMING SYMBOL OF PURITY AND REFLECTION

Although it remains unclear, it’s speculated that the anti-diabetes effects of lotus extracts could stem from the antioxidants they contain.

Keep in mind that, like most of the research on lotus, more human studies are needed when it comes to the plant’s effect on blood sugar.

Lotus flower is a symbol of purity, compassion and love and has a very high vibration and consciousness. That’s why it’s often associated with spiritual awakening and enlightenment in many Eastern cultures, including India, Japan and China.

Lotus is a calming symbol or purity, compassion and love.

A lotus flower grows through the thickest mud, and emerges clean and pure, rising above all other plants around it. This symbolises how we should rise above all negativity and live our lives with no attachments and no fear of losing anything or anyone.