蓮子，是睡蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)科水(shui)生草(cao)本植物(wu)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)的種子(zi)。又(you)稱蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)實、蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)米、蓮(lian)(lian)(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(lian)(lian)子以湘蓮(lian)(lian)為優，湘蓮(lian)(lian)歷來作為進貢(gong)朝(chao)廷(ting)的珍品，故(gu)又(you)稱“貢(gong)蓮(lian)(lian)”。蓮(lian)(lian)子包括紅蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)、白(bai)(bai)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)、石(shi)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)三種(zhong)(zhong)。石(shi)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)是(shi)指(zhi)成熟甚至陷(xian)于淤泥的(de)(de)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)蓬剝下(xia)來(lai)或自然掉下(xia)來(lai)的(de)(de)帶黑色外(wai)(wai)(wai)種(zhong)(zhong)皮(pi)的(de)(de)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)。紅蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)是(shi)指(zhi)除(chu)去外(wai)(wai)(wai)種(zhong)(zhong)皮(pi)的(de)(de)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)，一(yi)(yi)般分為去芯和不去芯兩種(zhong)(zhong)，白(bai)(bai)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)是(shi)指(zhi)去掉內種(zhong)(zhong)皮(pi)的(de)(de)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)，也(ye)分去芯不去芯兩種(zhong)(zhong)。幾種(zhong)(zhong)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)功(gong)效基本相同但使用(yong)上略(lve)有區別：紅蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)帶紅色外(wai)(wai)(wai)皮(pi)，一(yi)(yi)般用(yong)于養心(xin)安(an)神的(de)(de)比較(jiao)多(duo)(duo)，白(bai)(bai)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)(lian)子(zi)(zi)色白(bai)(bai)，一(yi)(yi)般用(yong)于潤肺健(jian)脾的(de)(de)多(duo)(duo)。

蓮子的(de)(de)質量以湘蓮品質最好(hao)。其皮(pi)(pi)(pi)色(se)(se)淡紅(hong)，皮(pi)(pi)(pi)紋(wen)細致，粒(li)大飽滿，生(sheng)(sheng)吃微甜，一煮就酥，食之軟糯清香(xiang)。紅(hong)蓮質量較差，其粒(li)形瘦(shou)長，皮(pi)(pi)(pi)色(se)(se)暗花，臍部下(xia)陷(xian)，中心空間較大，生(sheng)(sheng)吃味淡，久煮不(bu)酥。有(you)的(de)(de)蓮子看起(qi)來(lai)又(you)白(bai)又(you)干凈，實際這(zhe)種蓮子很有(you)可能使用了對(dui)人體有(you)害的(de)(de)化學(xue)漂白(bai)劑，而且這(zhe)些物質會對(dui)肝臟造成傷害，引(yin)起(qi)重金屬(shu)中毒。真正優質的(de)(de)蓮子，去皮(pi)(pi)(pi)后外表仍(reng)會有(you)一點(dian)皺皮(pi)(pi)(pi)或未處理干凈的紅皮(pi)，劣質的則(ze)在刀口處有(you)突起。蓮(lian)子經水蒸(zheng)會(hui)發(fa)生膨(peng)脹，散發(fa)出一種清香，而添(tian)加了化學制劑的蓮(lian)子幾乎不膨(peng)脹，還會(hui)有(you)一種堿味。