Lychee Fruit

Lychee Fruit: The Juicy Gem in Nature and its Health Effects:

When you think of biting into a sweet, juicy, and somewhat flowery piece of fruit on a hot summer day, you have probably already felt the great taste of lychee fruit. More commonly known as the litchi, this tropical treat has been stealing hearts (and mouths!), ever since it was first discovered many centuries ago, and it definitely is worth every second of its success.

Have you ever tried fruit lychees growing on a tree, or seen them in a refreshing beverage or desert, there is so much more to this tiny red fruit than what meets the eye. In this blog post we will be going deep to learn what is lychee fruit, where this fruit comes from, its health benefits, fun facts, and healthy recipes, and why the world is falling in love with the fruit lychees fruit benefits.

What is Lychee Fruit?

First of all, what exactly is the lychee fruit?

Lychee is a small, round, tropic fruit with spiked red or pinkish skin and a juicy clear white inside. Lychee is natively grown in China and has been growing over 2000 years and in Asia lychee is commonly referred to as the king of fruits. It is member of the soapberry family (Sapindaceae) and comprises fruits such as longan and rambutan.

Even though fruit lychee has rough skin, it has smooth sweet content that resembles grape, pear, and rose water combination. It is a unique experience to your taste buds!

History of Lychee:

The first reference to fruit lychee was in Southern China in 111 B.C. It was one of the favorite fruits of the emperors used to be transported long distances packed with ice to be fresh.

The fruit expanded to other neighboring states such as India, Thailand and Vietnam. Lychees are currently cultivated throughout the tropics and subtropics in places such as Africa, Australia, Brazil and the U.S. (particularly Florida and California).

 

That is why, once again, when you tell people that you enjoy the lychee fruit, you will be talking about centuries of culinary and cultural history.

Nutritional Value of Lychee:

Surprisingly, fruit lychees are very nutritious. What 100 grams of fresh lychee (about 10 fruits) gives is:

1: Calories: 66

• Protein: 0.8g
• Fat: 0.4g
• Fiber 1.3g
• Vitamin C: 119 % of the daily recommended dose

Potassium 171mg

• Copper, Magnesium, Vitamin B6, Niacin and Folate

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Lychees are gluten-free and cholesterol-free; their good proportions make them an ideal extra in any well-balanced, vegetal diet.

The Top 9 Benefits of the Fruits Lychee:

You may only love the taste of lychee fruit, but it is even better because of the health advantages of the fruit. These are the 9 science-proven benefits of lychees fruit that are worth considering:

1. Boosts Immunity

Lychee improves the immune system and assists your organism in its fight against infection, viruses, and inflammation because of its high vitamin C content.

2. Boosts Healthy Skin

Vitamin C also helps in the production of collagen keeping your skin smooth, firm, and youthful. It is also capable of reducing acne and dark spots.

3. Aids Digestion

Lychee is rich in dietary fiber that facilitates digestion and bowel movements and feeds your gut microbiome.

4. Makes the Heart Safe

The antioxidants, potassium, and magnesium in the fruit assist in lowering the bad cholesterol (LDL) levels and better circulation, which benefit the overall health of the heart.

• Aids with the control of blood pressure
• The potassium compound, found in fruit lychee, is a blood vessel dilator that keeps hypertension at bay.
• Based on being hydrating and detoxifying.
• Lychee with water content (more than 80%) makes you hydrated and promotes natural detoxification via the liver and kidneys.

7. May Aid Weight Loss:

Lychee contains no calories and a low amount of fat, which makes it an enjoyable, yet non-guilt snack.

8. Anti-Inflammatory Effects:

Studies believe that lychee has compounds such as oligonol that can minimize inflammation and oxidative stress in the body.

9. Enhances an increase of blood circulation:

Copper present in the lychee provides aid in the formation of red blood cells, which improves the transportation of oxygen in the body.

Lychee: Tips, Tricks And Recipes:

Fresh lychee preparation

• Slowly rub the skin till it breaks.
• Cut off the shell.
• Elaborate the brown seed.
• Praise the big-fleshed white meat

Delectable Lychee Treats:

• Fresh Snack: Peel and put into your mouth.
• Tropical Smoothie: Lychee can be combined with mango, banana and coconut water.
• Fruit Salad: Mix with kiwi, strawberries, pineapple and mint.
• Desserts: Sorbet, jelly, mousse, panna cotta or ice cream.
• Beverages: Pour lychee on lemonade, bubble tea or cocktails.
• Salsas: Diced and combined with chili, lime and cilantro as a spicy- sweet accompanying dish.

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• Recipe Time: Lychee Mint Cooler
• 1 cup raw lychees
• 10 pieces of mint leaf
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2. lime juice
• Sparkling water
• Ice cubes

Mix lychee fruit, mint, lime juice and honey. Put into a glass with ice and add sparkling water. Rais up with mint

Purchasing and storing fruit lychees

The basic steps to picking ripe lychees:

• Red or pink skin that is bright
• Aromatic smell
• Strict yet not tough
• No cracking or browning

Storage:

• Room temperature: 1 2 days
• Fridge: 7 days
• Freezer: This is peeled and stored in the freezer in freezer bags and can last up to 6 months

There is also canned lychees in abundance, but prefer those with natural juice rather than syrup.

Fun Facts of Lychee Fruit:

• Royal Favorite: Chinese Emperor Tang Xuanzong sought to impress its favorite concubine by having lychee fruit handcuffed through express couriers.
• Love: According to the Chinese culture, the lychee fruit is commonly treated as a symbol of love, romance and good luck.
• Festivals: Lychee festivals are held in India and China at harvest time with tastings, cooking competitions and music.
• Space Travel: In 2002 China launched lychee seeds into space to see how they would grow in a zero gravity environment.
• Ancient Medicine: Lychee has been employed in traditional Chinese medicine in the alleviation of cough, pain affected region, and digestive support.

Side Effects Precautions:

Although, fruit lychee is considered to be generally safe and healthy there are certain cautions which are very important:

• Lychees are unsafe before their ripening, particularly when consumed when hungry. They can lead to hypoglycemia especially in children who are malnourished.
• Although allergies are uncommon but they may occur. Symptoms include itching, hives or swelling.
• Lychee contains natural sugar, and therefore diabetics are advised to watch what they consume.
• Wash the fruit prior to eating it each time and do not overeat them.

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🔄 Lychee vs. Similar Fruits: What Makes Lychee Unique?

Feature	Lychee	Longan	Rambutan
Skin	Rough, pink-red	Smooth, tan-brown	Hairy, red or green
Flesh	Translucent white	Translucent white	Slightly firmer
Flavor	Sweet & floral	Mild & musky	Creamy & sweet
Popular Regions	China, India	Vietnam, Thailand	Malaysia, Indonesia

Assuming you enjoy this lychee fruit, you may well also enjoy the cousins – but the flowery aroma and juiciness of lychee gives it something extra.

Learning and Teaching Value by Kids and Students:

Children can also get to know about tropical biodiversity, world farming and nutrition in the process of learning what is lychee fruit and have fun at the same time. Promote classroom projects or home work such as:

• Lychee tree drawing
• Taste of the fruits comparison
• Preparing fruit snacks Healthy snacks
• Speaking about the places of growth of lychees and their significance in other cultures

🌱 Environmental Impact and Sustainability

Even though Lychee trees are quite demanding, they can grow organically without the use of excessive pesticides. But, as the demand continues to increase everywhere, there is a need to promote sustainable agriculture that:

• Water saving
• Protect indigenous ecosystems
• Encourage ethic employment

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As much as possible, purchase lychees in local or certified organic farms as a form of saving the planet.

🌞 Final thoughts: Why you will fall in love with Lychee fruit

In the era of sugary snacks and a variety of processed food, there is a natural solution sweet enough given by Mother Nature a fruit lychee. It is tasty, healthy and can fit into any meal not to mention that they are very adaptable as they fit into the heart of health-conscious families or even food illustrators or even those who would like to add some zest to their fruit life.