Ancient Egyptian Blue Lotus Misunderstood: New Study Reveals Key Differences from Modern Counterparts

For decades, Egyptologists may have misinterpreted the use of the psychoactive blue lotus, a flower central to ancient Egyptian mythology. A new study reveals the blue lotus consumed thousands of years ago differs significantly from the plant sold online today. Liam McEvoy, a UC Berkeley student, compared authentic Nymphaea caerulea, grown at the University of California Botanical Garden, with samples from online marketplaces. Using mass spectrometry, McEvoy found significantly higher levels of the psychoactive alkaloid nuciferine in the verified Egyptian blue lotus than in the online samples. This suggests that flowers sold online are visually similar but lack the psychoactive properties of the original plant. McEvoy's research enhances our understanding of ancient Egyptian rituals and questions the authenticity of modern lotus-based supplements, indicating that the ancient use of blue lotus in rituals and the modern marketing of similar products may not align.