蓮子，是睡(shui)蓮科水(shui)生(sheng)草本植物(wu)蓮的種子(zi)。又稱蓮實、蓮米、蓮肉，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)(lian)子以湘(xiang)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)為(wei)優，湘(xiang)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)歷來作為(wei)進貢朝廷的珍品，故又稱“貢蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)”。蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)子包括(kuo)紅蓮(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)、白蓮(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)、石(shi)蓮(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)三種(zhong)。石(shi)蓮(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)是指(zhi)成熟甚(shen)至陷于(yu)淤泥的蓮(lian)蓬(peng)剝下(xia)來(lai)或(huo)自然掉(diao)下(xia)來(lai)的帶(dai)黑(hei)色(se)(se)外種(zhong)皮(pi)的蓮(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)。紅(hong)蓮(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)是指(zhi)除(chu)去(qu)外種(zhong)皮(pi)的蓮(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)，一(yi)般(ban)分為去(qu)芯(xin)和不(bu)去(qu)芯(xin)兩種(zhong)，白蓮(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)是指(zhi)去(qu)掉(diao)內種(zhong)皮(pi)的蓮(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)，也分去(qu)芯(xin)不(bu)去(qu)芯(xin)兩種(zhong)。幾種(zhong)蓮(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)功(gong)效基本相同(tong)但使用(yong)上略(lve)有區別：紅(hong)蓮(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)帶(dai)紅(hong)色(se)(se)外皮(pi)，一(yi)般(ban)用(yong)于(yu)養心安神的比(bi)較多，白蓮(lian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)色(se)(se)白，一(yi)般(ban)用(yong)于(yu)潤肺(fei)健脾的多。

蓮(lian)(lian)子(zi)的質(zhi)量以湘蓮(lian)(lian)品質(zhi)最(zui)好。其皮(pi)色淡(dan)紅(hong)，皮(pi)紋細致(zhi)，粒大飽滿，生吃微(wei)甜，一煮就酥，食之軟糯清香。紅(hong)蓮(lian)(lian)質(zhi)量較差(cha)，其粒形(xing)瘦長，皮(pi)色暗花，臍部下陷，中心空間較大，生吃味(wei)淡(dan)，久煮不(bu)酥。有的蓮(lian)(lian)子(zi)看起來又白又干(gan)凈，實際這(zhe)種(zhong)蓮(lian)(lian)子(zi)很有可(ke)能使用了(le)對人體有害的化學漂白劑，而且這(zhe)些物質(zhi)會對肝臟造成傷害，引起重金屬中毒。真正優(you)質(zhi)的蓮(lian)(lian)子(zi)，去皮(pi)后外表仍會有一點皺(zhou)皮(pi)或未處理干凈的紅皮(pi)，劣質的則在刀口處有突起。蓮(lian)(lian)子經水蒸會(hui)發生(sheng)膨脹(zhang)，散(san)發出一(yi)種清香(xiang)，而添加(jia)了化學(xue)制劑的蓮(lian)(lian)子幾乎不膨脹(zhang)，還會(hui)有一(yi)種堿味。