"Three-Inch" White Lotus Seeds

Last updated 2026-11-12 — "Three-Inch" white lotus seeds are primarily produced in the Yangtang area of Xiangtan County. The name "Three-Inch" comes from the fact that three of these seeds lined up measure one inch in length. These seeds are large, plump, snow-white, round, and fine-textured, with a delicate fragrance, sweet taste, and easy to cook. In feudal times, they were historically offered as tribute to the emperor as "Imperial Lotus Seeds." Steamed with rock sugar, they are made into Rock Sugar Xiang White Lotus — the flesh is milky white, sweet and delicious, melts in the mouth, and leaves a lingering aftertaste. It is a distinctive and famous delicacy of Hunan. Regular Xiang lotus seeds contain 62% starch, 16.6% protein, 2% fat, as well as abundant calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamins, and carotene. "Three-Inch" lotus seeds surpass ordinary Xiang lotus seeds, containing key components such as monosaccharides, starch, vitamins, reducing sugars, and crude protein, along with 17 types of amino acids. They have a mild nature and sweet taste, and offer benefits such as lowering blood pressure, strengthening the spleen and stomach, and nourishing the lungs and clearing the heart. The lotus heart, which has a bitter and cold nature, can strengthen the heart, calm the nerves, clear heat, reduce internal heat, relieve restlessness, and promote urination. Therefore, "Three-Inch" lotus seeds are truly a treasure among lotus seeds. As a traditional Chinese export commodity, they are sold to countries such as the United States, France, Singapore, and Malaysia, and remain consistently popular in the international market.