Fox Nutsलोमड़ी मेवा
Fox nuts are the English common name for popped makhana seeds (Euryale ferox), though they are neither nuts nor related to foxes — the name likely derives from the seed's resemblance to small animal droppings or from a mistranslation.
The term "fox nut" is used primarily in English-language packaging and export markets. It was historically used in British colonial botanical records for Euryale ferox seeds and has persisted in international trade. In India, the term is rarely used domestically — consumers know the product as makhana or phool makhana. The botanical name Euryale ferox is preferred in scientific and nutritional literature. For export-grade product descriptions, "fox nuts" remains the standard English term recognised by international buyers.
Related Terms
Euryale ferox is the scientific name of the aquatic plant that produces makhana seeds — a prickly water lily native to stagnant wetlands across South and East Asia, with its largest commercial cultivation in the Gangetic plains of Bihar, India.
MakhanaमखानाMakhana, also called fox nuts or phool makhana, are the popped seeds of Euryale ferox, an aquatic plant cultivated in wetland ponds across the Gangetic plains of Bihar, India.
Phool Makhanaफूल मखानाPhool makhana (literally "flower makhana") is the Hindi term for popped or processed makhana, distinguishing the light, puffed snack form from the raw, hard seed (thurri).