Acharya Balkrishna’s newest Facebook post is all about kamal kakdi — lotus stem — and why it deserves a spot on your plate, especially if you’re keeping an eye on blood sugar or just trying to eat better overall.
He’s pretty direct in the post: people with diabetes should be eating lotus stem regularly because it helps bring blood sugar down. He also brings up its copper content, saying that’s what makes it good for hair and eyes.
On top of that, he says it’s loaded with nutrients overall — the kind of vegetable that builds muscle strength and improves blood levels when you eat it consistently.
Does the research back up the diabetes claim?
Actually, yes. Lotus stem sits at a low glycemic index, so it won’t send your blood sugar shooting up after a meal — which already makes it a smart pick for anyone managing diabetes.
There’s also research on lotus root extract specifically improving glucose tolerance and stopping fat from building up in the body, both of which help with blood sugar control. And then there’s the fiber angle — fiber naturally slows glucose absorption, so that’s yet another way this vegetable is quietly doing work for blood sugar levels.
What’s the deal with copper?
Balkrishna zeroes in on copper helping hair and eyes, and lotus stem genuinely delivers here — about 0.25 to 0.3 mg per 100 grams, which isn’t nothing.
Copper’s tied to healthy hair, sure, but it’s also linked to red blood cell formation — which loops right back to his other point about lotus stem improving blood.
Blood and muscle strength
Along with copper, lotus stem has a solid iron content too, somewhere around 1.1 to 1.16 mg per 100 grams. Iron and copper actually work as a team in the body when it comes to making red blood cells, and that means better oxygen flow throughout your system.
That’s a big deal if you’re dealing with anaemia or just feel drained a lot — more oxygen circulating usually means more stamina and less fatigue.
And the muscle-strength claim checks out too, since lotus stem has a decent protein content alongside everything else.
It’s just a genuinely nutrient-packed vegetable
Beyond blood sugar and copper, lotus stem brings a lot to the table — vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, plus a good amount of fiber.
Vitamin C helps your immune system and plays a part in collagen production, which shows up in your skin, hair, even your bones. Potassium, meanwhile, helps keep blood pressure in check.
There’s more benefits than what Balkrishna mentioned
Research also shows lotus stem has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which could help protect against oxidative stress and even ease inflammation-related issues like arthritis.
And that fiber content isn’t just about blood sugar — it also keeps digestion running smoothly and helps prevent constipation.
A couple of caveats
Lotus stem is still mostly a carb source at the end of the day, so if you’re strict about low-carb eating, you’ll want to keep portions in check.
Also, how you cook it matters a lot. Deep-frying lotus stem — which a lot of people do — adds a ton of extra calories and fat, and that can undo a good chunk of the benefits you’d otherwise get from it.