9 Common Makhana Myths Busted

Roasted makhana is a healthy yet delicious alternative to unhealthy fried or processed food. Traditionally used as a fasting food, this crunchy staple is light, nutritious, and versatile. It has also been around for a very long time. This has resulted in makhana being rife with myths. Let’s quell the confusion and dip into some common makhana myths - and facts.

Myth 1: Makhana is made from Lotus seeds.

Fact: Although popularly called ‘Lotus seeds’, the makhana plant isn’t a lotus.  Makhana is made from the popped and roasted seeds of the Euryale ferox plant. This plant is a cousin to the water lily family. It grows in water, and that’s where the seeds are carefully harvested from, not lotuses.

Myth 2: Makhana is a nut and grows on trees.

Fact: Despite being called a ‘fox nut’ and ‘Gorgon nut’, makhana is not a nut. It does not grow on trees. It is an aquatic seed harvested from the floors of muddy wetlands and ponds.

Myth 3: Makhana is made by puffing lotus roots.

Fact: Lotus root is a completely different root vegetable. Makhana comes exclusively from the seeds found inside prickly pods of the Euryale ferox plant.

Myth 4: Flavoured, packaged makhana is just as healthy as plain makhana.

Fact: Pick a version that is roasted and lightly spiced, like Makhanawala’s, to get a healthier option without compromising on taste.

Myth 5: Roasting makhana in ghee completely ruins its health benefits.

Fact: Lightly roasting makhana in a small amount of ghee improves the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients and adds minimal calories.

Myth 6: Eating raw, unroasted makhana is healthier.

Fact: Raw makhana seeds are hard, chewy, and difficult to digest. Popping and roasting them improves digestibility and eliminates any potential wetland pathogens.

Myth 7: Makhana is artificially puffed using machines, like corn puffs.

Fact: The puffing process is entirely physical. The seeds are sun-dried, roasted at high heat, and then manually struck to pop the kernel out of its hard shell naturally.

Myth 8: Roasted makhana is strictly a fasting (vrat) food.

Fact: Makhana is traditionally popular during fasts because Ayurveda classifies it as sattvic (pure) and energy-sustaining. Its superb nutritional profile makes it an ideal everyday snack.

Myth 9: There are only a few ways to enjoy makhana.

Fact: There are many ways to enjoy makhana and how you enjoy it is entirely up to you. Try our range of 13 delicious flavours. From Sriracha to Peri Peri and more. Each flavoured makhana is lightly roasted. Additionally, these makhana are roasted, not fried, further elevating them and their health benefits.

Makhana has picked up a lot of misconceptions along the way - mistaken for a nut, confused with lotus seeds, assumed to grow on trees. But the reality is more interesting than the myths: it's a seed from an aquatic plant, hand-harvested from pond beds through a process that hasn't changed much in generations, then popped and roasted into the light, crunchy snack we know today.

Understanding what makhana actually is - and isn't - makes it easier to appreciate why it's earned its place as a nutrient-dense, versatile snack. Next time someone calls it a "lotus nut from a tree," you'll know exactly what to tell them.