蓮子，是(shi)睡蓮科(ke)水生草本植物(wu)蓮的種子。又稱蓮實、蓮米、蓮肉(rou)，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(lian)子(zi)(zi)以湘(xiang)蓮(lian)為(wei)優，湘(xiang)蓮(lian)歷來作為(wei)進貢朝廷的珍品，故又稱(cheng)“貢蓮(lian)”。蓮(lian)子(zi)(zi)包(bao)括紅蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)、白(bai)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)、石蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)三種。石蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)是(shi)(shi)指(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)成(cheng)熟(shu)甚至陷于淤泥的(de)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)蓬剝(bo)下來(lai)(lai)或自然(ran)掉下來(lai)(lai)的(de)帶黑(hei)色外(wai)種皮的(de)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)。紅(hong)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)是(shi)(shi)指(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)除(chu)去(qu)(qu)(qu)外(wai)種皮的(de)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)，一般分為去(qu)(qu)(qu)芯(xin)(xin)和不去(qu)(qu)(qu)芯(xin)(xin)兩種，白(bai)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)是(shi)(shi)指(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)去(qu)(qu)(qu)掉內種皮的(de)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)，也(ye)分去(qu)(qu)(qu)芯(xin)(xin)不去(qu)(qu)(qu)芯(xin)(xin)兩種。幾種蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)功(gong)效基(ji)本相(xiang)同但(dan)使用上(shang)略有區別：紅(hong)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)帶紅(hong)色外(wai)皮，一般用于養心安神的(de)比較(jiao)多，白(bai)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)色白(bai)，一般用于潤肺健脾的(de)多。

蓮子(zi)(zi)的質(zhi)量以湘蓮品(pin)質(zhi)最好。其皮色(se)淡紅，皮紋(wen)細致，粒大飽(bao)滿，生吃(chi)微甜，一(yi)煮就(jiu)酥，食之軟糯清香。紅蓮質(zhi)量較差，其粒形瘦(shou)長，皮色(se)暗花，臍部下陷(xian)，中心空間較大，生吃(chi)味淡，久煮不酥。有(you)(you)的蓮子(zi)(zi)看(kan)起(qi)(qi)來又(you)白(bai)又(you)干凈，實際這種(zhong)蓮子(zi)(zi)很(hen)有(you)(you)可(ke)能使用了對(dui)人(ren)體有(you)(you)害的化學漂白(bai)劑，而(er)且這些物質(zhi)會(hui)(hui)對(dui)肝臟造(zao)成傷害，引起(qi)(qi)重金屬中毒(du)。真正優質(zhi)的蓮子(zi)(zi)，去皮后外表(biao)仍會(hui)(hui)有(you)(you)一(yi)點皺皮或(huo)未(wei)處理干凈的(de)紅皮，劣質的(de)則(ze)在刀口處有(you)突起。蓮子(zi)經水蒸會(hui)發(fa)生膨脹(zhang)(zhang)，散發(fa)出一種清(qing)香，而添加(jia)了化學(xue)制劑(ji)的(de)蓮子(zi)幾乎不膨脹(zhang)(zhang)，還會(hui)有(you)一種堿味。