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Water caltrop

Water caltrop is the pale, starchy seed or nut of an aquatic plant, commonly boiled or roasted before savoury use.

Water caltrop — illustrative ingredient image

About Water caltrop

Water caltrop is the edible seed or nut of an aquatic plant, commonly sold fresh, dried, or cooked in parts of Asia. It is usually boiled or roasted before eating and may be added to savory preparations. The hard outer shell is dark and horned in some types; the edible interior is pale and starchy.

The cooked kernel is firm to tender, with a mild, slightly sweet flavor and a texture often compared with a chestnut. Water caltrop is also known by names such as water chestnut in some markets, but it is not the same ingredient as the crisp, pale corm commonly sold as Chinese water chestnut.

Ingredient type
whole food

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Where water caltrop appears

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Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for water caltrop

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

Chinese

菱角

língjiǎo

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Water caltrop nutrition & diet

Water caltrop nutritional value

Reference: Water singharnut

Per 100 g of 100 g edible portion in the named official reference form.

Calories
72kcal
Protein
1.9g
Carbs
16.1g
Fat
0.3g

Official national food-composition reference. The displayed food form is part of the estimate; cultivar, recipe, brand, processing and preparation can change values.

The shell is inedible and should not be included when comparing edible portions. Fresh kernels and dried or cooked kernels differ in water content and preparation.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Not established
  • Vegetarian
    Not established
  • Pescatarian
    Not established
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Not established
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Vegetarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Pescatarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Not established
The ingredient form and processing have not been assessed against this dietary pattern.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: Taiwan FDA Nutrition Information Database — B1000101 ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .