Nymphaea lotus Coptic flag. Claire Waight Keller included the flower to represent Malawi in Meghan Markle's wedding veil, which included the distinctive flora of each Commonwealth country. In some parts of Africa the rhizomes and tubers are eaten for the starch they contain either boiled, roasted or ground to a flour after drying. The young fruits are sometimes consumed as a salad. The seeds are turned into a meal. The tubers or the seeds are used as a famine food in India. The ancient Egyptians cultivated the white lotus in ponds and marshes. This flower often appears in ancient Egyptian decorations. They
Lotus tea called "yeonkkot-cha" (, ) or "yeonhwa-cha" (, , ) in Korean, is a tea made from lotus flower. Often, a fresh whole flower is used to make tea. In Korean temple cuisine, this type of lotus flower tea symbolizes the blossoming of Buddhist enlightenment. Otherwise, of dried petals can be simmered in of water over low heat to make two to three cups or of tea. Lotus fruit tea, called "yeonbang-cha" (, , ) in Korean, is a tea made by infusing dried lotus fruits. Lotus seed tea, called "yeonbap-cha" (, ), "yeonssi-cha" (, ), or "yeonja-cha" (, , )