Twin Hearts Meditation

The Chinese water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis) is a kind of sedge native to Asia, Australia and tropical Africa. The plant has edible corms on the roots which are both a foodstuff and a medicine. Note that the Chinese water chestnut is not the same as the European water chestnut (Trapa natans) which is an aquatic pest in North America. Water chestnuts are used in both Chinese and Indian traditional medicine. Water chestnut is known as ‘Paniphal‘ or ‘Singhara‘ in Hindi. In both Ayurvedic medicine and Chinese traditional medicine, water chestnut is considered a coolant, promoting salivation and quenching thirst and removing excess heat from the body. Since water chestnut contains useful minerals like iodine and manganese, it helps in maintaining proper functioning of the thyroid gland. The dried seeds are used to promote milk production. Water chestnuts are also rich in vitamin B6, Calcium and Potassium, and polyphenolic and flavonoid antioxidants; these antioxidants give rise toanti-bacterial and antiviral properties, meaning that water chestnuts can be used in urinary tract infections, nausea, indigestion and coughs. Water chestnuts boiled in water have been used as a drink to cure measles patients when used on a regular basis for at least 6-9 days. The powdered seeds of water chestnut mixed with lemon juice have been applied to cure eczema and a paste made from powdered skins of water chestnuts can be applied on the swollen areas of the skin for relief. Potassium is vital for proper muscle and neural functioning. It also regulates water retention and blood pressure by balancing sodium. Powdered water chestnuts can also form a good flour substitute for the gluten-intolerant: they have the added benefit that, since they are not nuts, they can serve for those who have nut allergies as well. The fresh ones are really delicious, but you shouldn’t eat too many of these delightful vegetables as they have a mild laxative effect. Also, if eaten raw, the surface ofthe plants can potentially transmit fasciolopsiasis. In India, street vendors are often found selling water chestnuts during the summer. These are often pickled, and water chestnuts have the unusual property that their cell walls are cross-linked and strengthened by certain phenolic compounds, which means that they remain crisp even after pickling or canning. They are also a popular ingredient in Chinese dishes, where the flour of the ground corms is used to make water chestnut cake, a common part dim sum cuisine. The Chinese water chestnut is now an endangered species in Fiji, where the grass-like plants were woven into mats. Chinese water chestnuts are an exotic vegetable with cooling properties which appears in the middle of summer in the northern hemisphere, just when we need it most. If you have not yet done so, try to find a tin in an Asian speciality store near you and give them a try!