8 Reasons Why Lychee is a Wonder Fruit (2024)

It’s absolutely delicious and equally nutritious.

It looks like a strawberry but tastes like a mix of pear and grape.

Its pulpy, white flesh perfectly complements its rough, pink exterior.

And it’s in season.

Yes, I’m talking about the luscious lychee.

After mangoes and melons, it’s time for lychees to make its way to your plate.

Lychee, a member of the soapberry family, stands among one of the most popular tropical fruits. Like its luscious flavor, lychee boasts of a rich history; it was the much-loved fruit of emperors and queens due to its wealth of nutrients – Vitamin C, fiber, magnesium, copper, and potassium.

Lychee, meaning a gift for joyful life, lives up to its name. From slowing down aging to treating digestive ailments, promoting blood circulation, regulating blood pressure and assisting weight loss, lychee is a big surprise in a small package.

Let’s look at the health benefits of Lychee and what this juicy and flavorful fruit has to offer:

Works as a Digestive Tonic

Lychees have been a popular ancient Chinese remedy to boost digestion and to relieve stomach ailments. The high fiber content in this tropical fruit regulates your bowel movements and helps cure constipation, a common problem during summers. Additionally, fiber improves the absorption of nutrients as it stimulates digestive juices. Bursting with the goodness of pectin, lychee protects you against colon cancer and piles.

Lowers Cancer Risk

8 Reasons Why Lychee is a Wonder Fruit (2)

All fruits are a storehouse of phytonutrients which provides some protection against cancer and lychee is no exception. In fact, it ranks second among all fruits for its antioxidant power. According to this study published in PubMed, lychees are teeming with polyphenols, proanthocyanidins and Vitamin C; these antioxidants neutralize cancer-causing free radicals. Proanthocyanidins drastically cut your risk of stomach and prostate cancer. The flavonoids - quercetin and kaempferol – inhibit the growth of cancer cells, especially breast cancer.

Boosts Immunity

8 Reasons Why Lychee is a Wonder Fruit (3)

With 71.5 mg of Vitamin C in a 100-gram serving, lychee fulfills your daily requirement of this immune-boosting vitamin. A potent antioxidant, Vitamin C activates the white blood cells, the main defensive line of your body’s immune system against infections and illnesses. Additionally, lychees are loaded with Litchitannin A2, a powerful antiviral that counteracts herpes virus and coxsackievirus.

Keeps Your Heart Ticking

8 Reasons Why Lychee is a Wonder Fruit (4)

The flavonoids, fiber, and antioxidants in lychee pack a solid nutritional punch for a healthy heart. A zero cholesterol and high-fiber food, this summer fruit is ideal to lower your cholesterol levels. With its high potassium and low-sodium content, lychees are one of the best natural foods to lower blood pressure. Being a rich source of copper, lychee helps in the formation of red blood cells and proper blood circulation.

According to a study published in Natural Medicine Journal, Oligonol, a key component of lychees, might act as a vasodilator and be an effective treatment for a variety of symptoms such as cold hands and feet, shoulder discomfort, and diabetes-related vascular problems.

Helps You Lose Weight

A 100-gram serving of lychees offers a mere 66 calories with zero fat. This high-fiber fruit fills you up with low calories, staves off sweet cravings, and decreases storage of body fat; all these factors support weight loss. In addition, excess toxins in your body result in fat and weight gain. With a high dose of antioxidants, lychee rinses out these toxins and allows you to shed the extra pounds. Furthermore, the bevy of B complex vitamins in this super fruit fast-track your metabolism.

Benefits Your Kidneys

8 Reasons Why Lychee is a Wonder Fruit (5)

Lychees are packed with a substantial amount of water and potassium; both nutrients flush out the toxins deposited in your kidneys. This summer fruit lowers the concentration of uric acid drastically lowers your risk of kidney damage. According to this article, the combination of magnesium and vitamin B 6 in lychees minimizes the risk of kidney stones. A natural diuretic, lychees promote urination and relieve the pain caused due to kidney stones.

Promotes Radiant Skin

8 Reasons Why Lychee is a Wonder Fruit (6)

Pollution, exposure to UV rays, and stress take a toll on your skin and result in premature aging. Lychees are loaded with flavonoids and Vitamin C that keep wrinkles, blemishes, and fine lines at bay. Also, Vitamin C boosts collagen production; this protein maintains the elasticity of your skin and improves your skin texture giving your skin a youthful glow. The high water content in this pulpy fruit keeps your skin well hydrated and cleans out the impurities – acne in particular.

Keeps Your Bones Strong

Lychee is brimming with magnesium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, and copper; all these minerals increase calcium absorption in the bones. Phosphorus and magnesium work magic on the quality and optimal strength of your bones. This juicy fruit is an excellent source of manganese and copper which reduce bone fragility. Hence, eating lychees decreases your chances of osteoporosis and fractures.

Now that you’ve learned the amazing health benefits of lychees, you’d be tempted to gorge on lychees.

But remember this juicy fruit is high on fructose, the natural fruit sugar that spikes your sugar levels. Thus, it’s best to eat in moderation. Diabetics or weight watchers can savor 5-6 medium sized lychees as an in-between snack.

By eating more than 100-gram serving at a time, you increase your blood glucose and insulin levels which trigger fat storage.

Also, avoid eating lychees, especially the unripe ones, on an empty stomach since they contain hypoglycin A and methylenecyclopropyl-glycine (MCPG); these toxins may result in vomiting and fever. Hypoglycin inhibits the body's ability to produce glucose and may cause hypoglycemia.

(As a nutritionist for Dish Hospitality, Vishruta has chalked out menus for Google, Facebook, LinkedIn and Morgan Stanley. As a blogger, she focuses on teaching the art of eating smart. Love food, love life - that's her mantra.)

(For more stories on nutrition, follow FIT)

(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)

8 Reasons Why Lychee is a Wonder Fruit (2024)

FAQs

What are 10 benefits of lychee? ›

  • Lychee – Exploring Its Uses, Benefits, Side Effects and More. ...
  • Some of the Important Nutritional Values per 100 Grams of Litchi. ...
  • Benefit #1 – Rich in Antioxidants. ...
  • Benefit #2 – Boosts Immunity. ...
  • Benefit #3 – Improves Digestion. ...
  • Benefit #4 – Supports Heart Health. ...
  • Benefit #5 – Enhances Skin Health.
6 days ago

How many lychees can you eat a day? ›

To reap the benefits of lychee while maintaining a healthy weight, it is recommended to consume 10-12 lychees per day. This quantity provides essential nutrients without an excessive intake of sugars and calories.

Does lychee act as a laxative? ›

Lychee is a good source of fibre that shows a laxative effect by adding bulk to the stools and ensuring its smooth passage. Last but not least, you may feel more energised after eating lychees due to their blood pressure regulation ability.

Is lychee good or bad for you? ›

If you're looking for some variety in your fruit diet, lychees are a healthy choice. They're especially high in vitamin C and beneficial plant compounds called polyphenols. Supplements made from lychee fruit extracts may have added health benefits, but more study is needed.

Is lychee good for hair? ›

Antioxidants in lychee fight the damage to hair follicles and increase blood circulation in the scalp. The abundant vitamin C in lychees keeps your hair strong and healthy,[19] while high copper content stimulates the hair follicles and promotes the generation of new hair.

What does too much lychee do? ›

Litchi is one of those foods that helps lower blood pressure and this is why, it's overconsumption should be avoided. It can cause low blood pressure along with lethargy, fainting and fatigue.

Is it good to eat lychee at night? ›

Can I eat lychee at night? Avoid eating this fruit right before meals and going to the bed as it may cause an increase in blood sugar.

Can you eat lychee skin? ›

A perfectly ripe lychee has a soft skin that separates easily from the flesh. You can gently squeeze these fruits to pop out the flesh inside. If this doesn't work, just tear off the skin in small pieces using your fingers. The skin is inedible.

When should we not eat lychee? ›

Use lychee with caution if you have an auto-immune condition. Allergies: Lychee might cause allergic reactions in people who are allergic to birch, sunflower seeds and other plants from the same family, mugwort, and latex. Surgery: Lychee might lower blood sugar levels.

Should lychee be refrigerated? ›

Place in sealed container or plastic bag and store in the refrigerator. Lychee skin will brown when exposed to cool dry air, so we recommend storing them in a covered container or plastic bag. Place a paper towel or clean cloth in the bag to absorb any extra moisture.

Can dogs eat lychee? ›

If you remove the pit and outer skin, dogs can eat lychee as an occasional treat if the fruit is ripe. A small amount of lychee can benefit your dog's health as a source of fiber and nutrients. However, the fruit contains high amounts of sugar, and overeating lychee can lead to an upset stomach.

How to tell if lychee is bad? ›

You can identify a spoiled lychee in a few ways. The color of the fruit changes to a dark brown, and a strong, unpleasant odor may emanate from it. Upon touching, if the fruit is squishy or excessively soft then it is a clear indication that the lychee is bad. Inside, the seed might have a greenish mold or slime.

What is the toxin in lychee fruit? ›

Litchi fruit contains a toxin, methylene cyclopropyl-glycine (MCPG), which is known to be fatal by causing encephalitis-related deaths. This is especially harmful when consumed by malnourished children.

Why is lychee rare? ›

Lychees are susceptible to water stress as they understorey plants in nature, native to areas with high humidity and rainfall.

Is lychee good for stomach? ›

Whole litchi fruits have been used not only as a food source but also for medicinal purposes. As a traditional Chinese medicine, litchi has been used for centuries to treat stomach ulcers, diabetes, cough, diarrhea, and dyspepsia, as well as to kill intestinal worms.

How many lychees can a diabetic eat? ›

So, a normal person can have six to seven litchis a day. But diabetics should ideally restrict themselves to one fruit a day and factor that into their daily carbohydrate or calorie allowance. This means they should replace some other item of equivalent value.

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