Top Makhana Benefits That You Didn't Know | Happy Snacking!
Makhanas is a loved desi snack. They are commonly known as lotus seed, fox nut, or phool makhana. Makhana is a part of a lotus flower. They are one of the superfoods. There are various benefits of eating Makhana, which we will discuss in this article.
Top 10 Makhanas (Fox Nuts or Lotus Seeds) Benefits for Health:
There are various advantages of Makhana for everyone. No matter what age you are, this delicious snack is ready to make you healthy. So, let us talk about some fox nuts benefits:
Makhana Maintains Kidney Health:
Makhana is good for the health of the kidney and spleen. It reduces the stress on the kidney by regulating blood flow and improving frequent urine control. It helps in detoxifying and cleansing the spleen.
Makhana Ensures a Healthy Heart:
Maintaining a healthy heart is one of the lotus seeds benefits. Heart patients have a low amount of magnesium in their blood. Makhanas are rich in protein, carbohydrate, and magnesium content suitable for heart patients. They also have low amounts of saturated fats and sodium, regulating blood pressure.
Makhana uses and benefits are more than we think. It also improves the quality and oxygen content in the blood.
Lively Liver with Makhanas
Phool makhana benefits your liver and boosts its metabolism by detoxifying the liver. The liver functions as a filter for our body, eliminating unwanted product waste and retaining the required nutrients for our body.
Therefore, it also needs proper, timely cleansing, and this process of cleansing is enhanced by the consumption of makhanas that prevents it from damage.
Makhana Controls Sugar Levels for Diabetic People:
As makhanas contain low calories and low glycogen or glycemic index, this makes Makhana good for the health of diabetic people—makhanas help maintain their blood sugar levels. Diabetic people are prone to heart diseases. Therefore, due to high magnesium content, makhanas are beneficial for both heart and diabetes.
Makhana Makes Your Bones Strong:
Strong bones and teeth because of the high content of calcium benefit Makhana with milk. Makhanas help regulate calcium, which is an essential element for strengthening and nourishing your bones to make them strong and healthy.
Benefits of Makhana for Weight Loss:
Roasted Makhana benefits one's body as it has low calories, cholesterol, and various essential minerals that help your body become healthier and reduce your body fat.
It prevents you from overeating or constant cravings by keeping you full for a more extended period. It maintains your hormonal balance, which prevents weight gain and helps reduce extra fat. So, consuming Makhana is good for weight loss.
Makhana Keeps Your Digestive System Healthy:
Makhanas are highly rich in fiber, preventing digestive tracts and improving digestive processes to prevent digestion-related issues like constipation. Fox nuts contain antioxidants that help make digestion of food easy irrespective of age groups.
Makhana Maintains Fertility:
There are several Makhana benefits for males, like; maintaining the quality and quantity of semen and premature ejaculation. It helps in improving the sperm count.
Makhana Gives Relief During Inflammation:
Inflammation is a common and painful problem. People with diabetes, arthritis, etc., have regular inflammation issues, which Makhana's anti-bacterial properties can treat.
Providing relief from inflammation is one of the Lotus seeds' uses. A natural compound in Makhana called kaempferol reduces inflammation in the body.
Makhana Helps in Preventing Early Ageing and Stress:
Makhanas are loaded with antioxidants and certain amino acids, which help relieve chronic inflammation and early aging and help cope with stress. A small bowl of makhanas with lauki juice in the morning can help you get rid of insomnia and depression.
They keep your skin glowing and make you look younger because of antioxidants' presence.
Makhana Nutritional Value
There are many health benefits of makhanas because they are highly nutritious. They are low in calories, fat, and minerals like sodium, making them suitable for the heart's better functioning and making them perfect for mid-meal snacks. They are rich in various minerals like magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, and potassium.
100 g of makhanas contain 347 calories, 9.7g proteins, 0.1g fat, 14.5g fiber, and 76.9g carbohydrates.
Also, they are an excellent source of protein and fiber. The fox nut nutrients help you keep full for a longer period and stop you from binge eating later.
The seeds are edible after being processed, and the lotus seeds' nutritional value is very high. It is suitable for men with heart-related issues and calorie-conscious people.
They help you maintain your body health by focusing on problems you should be careful about. So, get a packet of Makhana, or we can say, a pocketful of health and prevent yourselves from becoming prey to unhealthy eating habits and consequences.
Makhana Side Effects
Makhanas do not necessarily have any side effects, but Makhana side effects can be seen if consumed excessively. Suppose you are allergic to any ingredients on the Makhana packet; best not to consume it. Make sure you check the back to see what it is made of before purchase. Moreover, Makhana may cause gastrointestinal problems like acidity, an increase in insulin levels in your body, constipation, and bloating, when consumed excessively.
References
- Hitesh Kumar Mahawar, November 2016; A Report on Makhana (Foxnut) Production, Processing and Supply Chain- (PDF) A Report on Makhana (Foxnut) Production, Processing and Supply Chain. (researchgate.net)
- TOI, Sep 2020; Benefits of Makhanas and quick 10 minute recipes- Benefits of Makhanas and quick 10 minute recipes | The Times of India (indiatimes.com)
- Agriexchange; Market Intelligence Report: Makhana- Makhana (apeda.gov.in)
- Imana Pal and Purnima Dey, July 2015; A Review on Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) Seed- https://ijsr.net/archive/v4i7/SUB156738.pdf