What Is Lychee?

It is a little, round fruit with a red-rough exterior, a sweet, juicy pulp, and one huge seed. Lychees are native to Southeast Asia. The lychee fruit is often referred to as the litchi. It’s a common fruit in Asia, and it may be found in a variety of desserts and beverages such as jellies, cocktails, and ice cream.

The lychee fruit has been cultivated in China for thousands of years and is considered a delicacy. Many nations around the globe, including India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Australia, and the United States, are seeing increases in their production.

Lychee is available in a variety of forms, including fresh, dried, and tinned. Lychee is also used in the production of preserves, wine, and sauces.

The Nutritional Value of Lychee

Fresh lychee fruit contains the following nutrients in a 100-gram (3.5-ounce) serving:

• 66 calories
• 0.83 grams of protein are contained in this serving.
• There are 16.5 grams of carbohydrates.
• Fat content: 0.44 g
• There are 1.3 grams of dietary fiber in this serving.
• The sugar content is 15.2 grams.
• Vitamin C is in the amount of 71.5 milligrams.

Health Benefits of Lychee

Along with aiding in the enhancement of one’s beauty, lychee is also beneficial in the treatment of digestive difficulties, the improvement of blood circulation, the prevention of cancer, and other applications.

Let’s take a deeper look at the benefits it offers.

For Stronger Bones

Lychee is a powerhouse of nutrients, including magnesium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, and copper, to name a few. These minerals are known to promote calcium absorption in the bones, resulting in the bones becoming stronger and healthier as a result.

Lychee Helps With Digestion

The high level of dietary fiber found in lychee, as well as in most fruits and vegetables, may aid in the bulking up of your stool and the improvement of your digestive health. This may aid in the smooth passage of bowel movements through the digestive tract, and fiber may also promote the peristaltic activity of the smooth small intestine muscles, thereby improving the pace at which food travels via the digestive tract.

It may also promote the production of the stomach and digestive fluids, resulting in more efficient nutrient absorption. Constipation and other gastrointestinal issues can be alleviated as a result of this. According to a study published in the Journal of Functional Foods, it may also aid in the reduction of abdominal obesity.

Beneficial to the Skin

Lychee can assist in reducing the appearance of wrinkles and blemishes. The generation of free radicals, which occurs as a result of excessive oxidative stress, is the fundamental cause of aging. Lychees contain vitamin C, which serves as an antioxidant, preventing the formation of free radicals.

Increases Immunity

The vitamin C in lychee is perhaps its most important component, with a single serving providing more than 100% of the daily recommended intake of ascorbic acid. This could mean that your immune system receives a significant boost, as vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant compound that has been shown to promote the function of white blood cells, which serve as the body’s primary line of defense against pathogens and infections.

Weight Loss Support

Lychees are a fantastic source of dietary fiber, which has been shown to be beneficial in the reduction of body fat. Lychee has high water content and a very low-fat level, which makes it an excellent fruit for weight loss due to its low-fat content. Additionally, it is minimal in calories.

Anticancer Properties

Based on the discoveries of research conducted by the Division of Experimental Oncology at the National Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, and Sichuan University in China, the pericarp of the lychee fruit includes polyphenolic chemicals that have antioxidant properties. When tested against human liver cancer cells, these chemicals demonstrated significant anticancer activity.

Because lychee is a high-quality source of organic chemicals, it can be used as an effective cancer-prevention strategy against a variety of cancers.

According to a 2006 study, lychee fruit pericarp extract has the ability to induce apoptosis in breast cancer cells as well as suppress cell proliferation in the tumor cells themselves.

According to the findings of the study, lychee seed extracts have the potential to be used as an alternative therapy for prostate cancer treatment. Despite the fact that human trials have not yet been conducted, the findings so far appear to be encouraging.

According to the most recent research published in Nutrients magazine, lychee has some therapeutic properties that may be beneficial in the treatment of colon cancer, according to the researchers.

Anti-Inflammatory Medication

Lychee extracts, which are high in flavanol, are well-known for their ability to reduce inflammation and tissue damage induced by inflammation.

Improves Cognition

In the journal Nutrients, researchers from Southwest Medical University have released a study in which they highlight the neuroprotective properties of lychee seeds. An Alzheimer’s disease-affected rat model was used in this investigation, and the results showed significant improvement in cognitive performance as well as protection of neuronal harm.

Antiviral Properties

Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have conducted considerable research on the proanthocyanidins found in lychee, and they have discovered that they possess antiviral properties as well. According to recent research findings, Litchitannin A2, a chemical found in lychee, has been linked to the prevention of the transmission or breakout of viruses such as herpes simplex virus and coxsackievirus.

Improves Blood Circulation

In addition to iron, copper is another critical mineral that may be found in significant amounts in lychee, and while the iron is most frequently connected with red blood cells, copper is also an important component of RBC synthesis. The copper concentration of lychee, as a result, has been shown to enhance blood circulation as well as oxygenation of the organs and cells.

Assists In Controlling Blood Pressure

Lychee contains a high concentration of potassium, which means it might aid in the maintenance of fluid balance in the body; it may also be low in sodium, which is beneficial. Fluid balance is important not just for metabolic activities but also for the management of hypertension.

A vasodilator is defined as a substance that lessens the constriction of blood vessels and arteries, hence lessening the stress placed on the cardiovascular system. The potassium content of dried lychee is nearly three times greater than that of fresh lychee! Furthermore, Dr. Mahesh Thirunavukkarasu and colleagues from the University of Connecticut Health Center in the United States discovered that oligonol generated from lychee fruit is also a vasodilator in a study they conducted.

Anti-Influenza Medication

Anti-influenza activity, an improvement in blood circulation, weight loss, and the protection of your skin from impairing UV rays when revealed to the sun have all been associated with this potent phenolic component present in lychee. It also has significant antioxidant properties, similar to those of ascorbic acid and other proanthocyanidins found in lychee.

Lowers Blood Sugar Levels

In some Indian villages, the consumption of lychee fruit has been linked to inflammation of the brain in youngsters. According to researchers, a chemical found in lychees known as hypoglycin A has the potential to cause your blood sugar level to plummet. Low blood sugar, often known as hypoglycemia, is the result of this.

However, it is possible that malnutrition played a role in the high blood sugar levels seen in this study. Many of these children only ate lychees for dinner and did not eat anything else. They became ill the next morning, suffering from symptoms such as convulsions and a high fever.

Allergies

Lychee includes a number of proteins that can cause uncommon allergic reactions in some people. There have been only a few scientific investigations conducted on lychee fruit allergies. Among the symptoms they reported were:

• Breathing becomes difficult.
• Itchiness
• The lips and tongue swell as a result of the swelling.
• Hives (urticaria)

How to Make Use of Lychee

Some grocery stores have fresh lychee, which is a tropical fruit. Lychees are frequently found in Asian supermarkets, both canned and dried. Sugar is frequently added to canned lychees. By looking at the label, you can inquire about whether they’re in sugar-sweetened syrup or their own juice.

The lychee season in the United States begins in May and lasts through the end of the summer. Fresh lychee fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. It can also be frozen in its entirety, including the peel. Dried lychee can be kept at room temperature for up to a year without going bad.

Ways to prepare lychee, whether fresh or canned, are:

Making a drink with lychee juice (from a can of lychee fruit) is a fun and easy way to be creative.

Adding it to a stir-fry with pork, chicken, or shrimp

Salsa is made by chopping up lychee and blending it with avocado, lime juice, cilantro, and onion to form a paste.

Making a fruit salad using lychee fruit, pineapple chunks, melon, and other favorite fruits is a fun and easy project.