蓮子，是(shi)睡蓮(lian)科水生草本植物蓮(lian)的種子。又(you)稱(cheng)蓮(lian)實、蓮(lian)米、蓮(lian)肉，具有補脾止瀉，止帶，益腎澀精，養心安神之功效，常用于脾虛泄瀉，帶下，遺精，心悸失眠。蓮子以湘蓮為優，湘蓮歷來作為進(jin)貢朝(chao)廷的珍品，故又稱“貢蓮”。蓮子包括紅(hong)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)、白蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)、石蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)三種(zhong)。石蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)是(shi)指成(cheng)熟(shu)甚(shen)至陷于(yu)淤泥的(de)(de)(de)(de)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)蓬剝下來或自(zi)然(ran)掉下來的(de)(de)(de)(de)帶黑色(se)外(wai)種(zhong)皮(pi)(pi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)。紅(hong)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)是(shi)指除去外(wai)種(zhong)皮(pi)(pi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)，一(yi)(yi)般(ban)分為去芯(xin)和不去芯(xin)兩(liang)種(zhong)，白蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)是(shi)指去掉內種(zhong)皮(pi)(pi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)，也分去芯(xin)不去芯(xin)兩(liang)種(zhong)。幾(ji)種(zhong)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)功效基本相同但使用上略有區別(bie)：紅(hong)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)帶紅(hong)色(se)外(wai)皮(pi)(pi)，一(yi)(yi)般(ban)用于(yu)養心安神(shen)的(de)(de)(de)(de)比較(jiao)多，白蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)色(se)白，一(yi)(yi)般(ban)用于(yu)潤(run)肺健脾的(de)(de)(de)(de)多。

蓮(lian)子(zi)的(de)質(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)量(liang)以湘(xiang)蓮(lian)品質(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)最好。其皮(pi)色淡(dan)紅(hong)，皮(pi)紋細致(zhi)，粒大飽滿，生(sheng)吃微甜，一(yi)煮就酥，食之軟(ruan)糯清香(xiang)。紅(hong)蓮(lian)質(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)量(liang)較(jiao)差，其粒形瘦長，皮(pi)色暗花(hua)，臍(qi)部(bu)下(xia)陷，中心空間較(jiao)大，生(sheng)吃味淡(dan)，久(jiu)煮不酥。有(you)的(de)蓮(lian)子(zi)看起來又白(bai)又干凈，實際這(zhe)種蓮(lian)子(zi)很(hen)有(you)可能(neng)使用(yong)了對(dui)人體(ti)有(you)害(hai)的(de)化學(xue)漂白(bai)劑，而且這(zhe)些物(wu)質(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)會(hui)對(dui)肝臟(zang)造成傷(shang)害(hai)，引起重金屬中毒。真正優質(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)的(de)蓮(lian)子(zi)，去皮(pi)后外表仍(reng)會(hui)有(you)一(yi)點皺皮(pi)或未處理干凈的(de)紅皮，劣質的(de)則(ze)在刀口(kou)處有(you)突起。蓮子經(jing)水蒸會(hui)發(fa)生(sheng)膨(peng)脹(zhang)，散發(fa)出一種清(qing)香，而(er)添加了化學(xue)制劑的(de)蓮子幾乎不膨(peng)脹(zhang)，還會(hui)有(you)一種堿(jian)味(wei)。