Until recently, the word “lychee” did not evoke any gastronomic associations for most Russians. And the cost of this overseas fruit was too high. Now the situation has changed. Fruits are easy to find in grocery stores and hypermarkets at reasonable prices. It's time to learn a little more about the composition and beneficial properties of lychee.
It is an ovoid or oval shaped tropical fruit. The peel of the ripe fruit is red in color and has a bumpy surface. The pulp of the fruit, surrounding an oblong inedible seed, looks like milky jelly. It has a pleasant aroma and a refreshing sweet-sour taste. You are allowed to eat with a spoon.
Lychee contains: plant fibers, fats, B-complex vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, water, vitamin K, biotin, ascorbic acid, vitamin E, as well as a large amount of minerals.
What is the benefit
Lychee is a favorite fruit of the people of China and India. Locals consider it a strong aphrodisiac. It has vasodilating properties, strengthens the heart, and reduces the level of “bad” cholesterol in the blood. It quenches thirst well in hot summers, promotes weight loss, improves the functioning of the digestive system, and eliminates constipation.
People suffering from anemia, gastritis, ulcers, diseases of the pancreas and liver should eat lychee. In China, lychee in combination with Chinese lemongrass is used to treat early stage cancer and other serious diseases. It also improves liver and kidney function and reduces blood sugar levels.
Strong Bones
Therapists around the world advise including lychee fruits in children's diets. The pulp contains calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, which strengthen bones and teeth and are especially needed during growth and development.
For cancer
Tropical fruits are known for their anti-cancer properties. So, lychee fruits, thanks to their oligonol content, can become an excellent preventive product against oncology. Oligonol is not exactly a simple antioxidant; it also acts as a strong antiviral agent, reduces the risk of malignant tumors and relieves inflammation of the tonsils.
For heart
This is a very heart-healthy product and a good source of potassium. This microelement is necessary for our body to normalize blood pressure, maintain heart rhythm, reduce the risk of heart attack and other serious heart diseases.
For weight loss
Lychee's fruity charm extends to weight watchers, too. These amazing fruits contain no fat, but a lot of energy - ideal for fans of a sports lifestyle.
For radiant skin
Lychee pulp contains complex substances that nourish the skin and stimulate the production of natural oils necessary for hydration and elasticity. Lychee lovers have young, renewed, radiant skin without acne or age spots.
Be sure to check out how to properly clean these pimply fruits.
Potential Harm
In addition to the beneficial properties of lychee, these fruits also have a negative side. They are contraindicated for people with gout or diabetes. Such patients are allowed only the smallest portions and not every day.
They can also cause an allergic reaction, so consume exotic fruits in moderation.
Exotic fruits are increasingly entering our lives. If earlier we were content with canned fruits (“tropical cocktail”, “pineapple in its juice”, etc.), now in any supermarket you can easily buy fresh fruit from the other side of the planet. Your eyes are wide open - the display cases with tropical delicacies amaze you with the abundance of colors, aroma, and various forms. However, buying an unfamiliar fruit can be puzzling (not everyone has vacationed in Thailand or Bali) and raise many questions: what is lychee fruit, how should you eat such a fruit and what is edible in it, what does it taste like and is it healthy?
Did you know? The most ancient mention of the lychee tree dates back to 59 (the period of the Chinese Eastern Han dynasty) - this is a story about a nobleman who, having accidentally tasted the lychee fruit, hastened to notify Emperor Liu Zhuang about the discovered delicacy (although there are legends about Emperor Wu Di, who was still 2nd century BC wanted to plant lychees in Northern China). Most likely, the birthplace of lychee is southern China. It is known that in the 8th century, Emperor Tang Xuanzong sent 600 warriors to get these fruits for his beloved concubine Yang Yuhuan (a legendary woman of mystery in China and Japan), who loved them very much. The Vietnamese believe that lychee ended up in China as a gift from the Vietnamese emperor of the Mai dynasty (although it is known that there was no such dynasty in Vietnam, there was a “black emperor Mai” - a poor man who rebelled against the Chinese and proclaimed himself emperor). A large mission with gifts (including lychees) went to China under the founder of the Mac Dang Dung dynasty. But this was already in 1529.
What is lychee
Lychee (Litchi chinensis) is an evergreen tree with a wide crown. Grows in height up to 30 meters. Grows in the tropics and subtropics of Eurasia, Africa and America. Lychee has many other names: “Chinese plum”, “laysi”, “dragon eye”, “Chinese grape”, “fox”, “linchi”. The leaves are pinnate, lanceolate, dark green in color.
When blooming, flowers without petals form umbrella-shaped inflorescences. Lychee is an excellent honey plant (pollinated primarily by bees). The fruits grow in clusters (13-15 pieces) and ripen in May-June. The yield ranges from 10 kg (in cool climates) to 150 kg (in optimal conditions).
Lychee fruits are oval in shape, size from 2 to 4 cm, weight up to 20 grams. The ripe fruit is red in color with a tuberous skin. The lychee peel is easily separated (it is covered with a film on the inside) and reveals a delicate white jelly pulp. The pulp has a pleasant sweet and sour, slightly astringent flavor of plum and grape. Inside the fruit is a hard, dark brown seed (reminiscent of an acorn).
Despite the abundance of varieties (more than 100), the most popular are:
- the green hanging one is one of the most ancient and rare. Retains freshness without peeling for three days;
- glutinous rice balls. It is distinguished by a honey flavor and a small seed (sometimes absent altogether);
- huaichi (“bunches of berries in hand”);
- March red (earliest to ripen);
- smile Yang Yuhuan (early ripens, red juice in the peel);
- sweet osmanthus. They have the scent of osmanthus flower.
Lychee fruits are collected in clusters (this way they are better transported, they last longer). Often, for better preservation during transportation, they are collected unripe. Lychees retain their true taste for no more than three days after collection.
Did you know? Lychee owes its appearance in Europe and its spread throughout the world to the French botanist Pierre Sonnera (1748-1814). The scientist traveled to Indochina and China and brought with him not only descriptions of unprecedented plants, but also their seedlings. The French liked the taste of lychee so much that in 1764 on the island. The first plantation of this plant was planted in Reunion (by engineer J.-F. Charpentier de Cossigny de Palma). The French planted lychees on the island. Madagascar (became the world supplier of this fruit). Lychee has become widely grown in South Africa, Australia, the southern Japanese islands, Central America, Brazil and the USA.
Calorie content, nutritional value and composition of lychee
Lychee is distinguished by its low calorie content (– 66 kcal), low fat and protein content. Fruits are especially rich in vitamins and minerals. Among the vitamins, the leading position is occupied by ascorbic acid (71.5 mg). An important place is occupied by B vitamins - niacin, thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, pantothenic and folic acids. There is also rare vitamin K or phylloquinone (important for normal blood clotting), E (tocopherol), D (viosterol) and H (biotin).
The vitamin group is supplemented with micro- and macroelements: phosphorus, potassium, calcium, copper, magnesium, sodium, zinc, selenium, iron, manganese, iodine.
Important! Lychee peel contains many essential oils. They give the fruit its aroma. The seeds and peel are not eaten.
As a rule, lychees are eaten fresh or frozen (this is how they contain the most beneficial properties). In India, Indochina and China you can find so-called “lychee nuts” - dried fruits in peel. When dried, the peel hardens and, if you shake it, the dry kernel rattles inside (there are fewer vitamins here, but the mineral composition is preserved.)
What are the benefits of lychee for the body?
A unique combination of vitamins and minerals, low calorie content make lychee valuable nutritional and medicinal product.
Prevention of anemia
Regular consumption of lychee fruits effectively helps in preventing anemia. The high percentage of copper in lychee plays a big role in increasing the number of red blood cells.
Did you know? Kongou tea is very popular in Asia. When brewed, it emits a rich grapefruit smell, and when tasting, a specific taste of lychee sweetness is felt. The secret of this tea is the addition of pieces of dried lychee peel. In Thailand, this tea is drunk with ice as a soft drink.
Digestion Aid
Lychees contain soluble fiber, free the stomach and intestines from toxic and harmful substances, and normalize digestion (eliminate constipation). Lychee pulp has antacid properties, eliminates nausea, helps with mild diarrhea, stomach acidity and dyspepsia. Powder of ground seeds in folk medicine of India and Vietnam helped get rid of helminths, cope with gastrointestinal disorders.
For skin beauty
The way the skin of the face and body looks can be influenced by lychee pulp. It is rich in many components that are beneficial to the skin, nourishes and moisturizes it, has antioxidant properties, helps restore collagen, improves appearance, and smoothes wrinkles. It’s easy to make a face mask from fresh fruits at home. Gels and creams containing lychee extract also widely used for skin care.
For bone strength
Minerals (phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, calcium, etc.) effectively maintain the condition of bones and teeth. Lychee pulp also contains vitamin D (which is important for the body's absorption of calcium).
Did you know? Lychee is known as a strong aphrodisiac. In China, they believe that the lychee fruit maximally concentrates the energy “Yang” - “equal to three torches of fire”, a symbol of love and masculinity. Similar views on lychee exist in Indian folk medicine - before intercourse, a couple in love is recommended to eat lychee fruit, and its benefits will manifest itself in enhancing male sexual power and mutual attraction.
For weight loss
Oligonol was produced from the pulp of the lychee fruit, which effectively reduces fat mass and improves blood circulation. Lychee extract is included in various dietary preparations. Knowledge of how to eat lychees correctly (namely, consume fresh up to 250 g per day) will help those who want to lose excess weight. The lychee fruit consists of 82% water, is low in calories, has no cholesterol, and contains healthy fiber and pectin.
For heart
The abundance of polyphenols (15% higher than in grapes), the high content of niacin, potassium, copper and manganese in ideal proportions makes consumption Lychee is extremely beneficial for people with heart and vascular problems. Lychee removes excess cholesterol, dilates blood vessels, regulates the frequency of contractions of the heart muscle, regulates blood pressure, etc.
Contraindications and restrictions on consumption
The use of lychee by adults has no special restrictions, and there are practically no contraindications for them (except for individual intolerance). Even with excessive consumption of lychee, the worst thing that can happen is irritation of the mucous membrane and gas formation in the intestines, therefore, it is better to limit the consumption of six to seven fruits.
Important! Children under three years of age are prohibited from consuming lychee fruits. . For those over three years old, it is necessary to limit the amount of lychee (two or three pieces) and, most importantly, not give it on an empty stomach. In 2017, scientists uncovered the cause of annual epidemics among children in India: for 25 years, from mid-May to June, children became infected with acute encephalopathy (40% of those sick died). The reason was that unripe lychee fruits contain hypoglycine and methylenecyclopropylglycine (block glucose synthesis). All these children ate unripe lychees on an empty stomach the day before the disease, and their glucose levels in the body dropped sharply.
Therefore, neglect the benefits of lychee d For a child’s body, it’s not worth it, but you need to follow simple rules: give fruits after meals, select ripe and fresh fruits, make sure there are no allergic reactions.
Lychee in medicine and cosmetology
The unique chemical composition of lychee fruits allows the fruit and its beneficial properties to be used both in pure form and as an extract in dietary supplements, as part of medicines, for the treatment and prevention of many diseases(especially active in China, Korea, Japan).
Scientists have isolated the polyphenol oligonol from lychee, which rids the body of free radicals. Lychee fruits are beneficial for vision– contain zeaxanthin.
Exotic lychee is part of anti-cancer drugs, sedatives, immune-supporting, cardiac, decongestant, cold and other drugs. Lychee syrup helps with anemia. Traditional medicine actively uses the fruits, peel, seeds, and flowers of lychee to treat many diseases.
Lychee (lat. Litchi chinensis- Chinese plum) is a small sweet and sour berry covered with a crusty skin. The fruit grows on evergreen tropical trees, the height of which reaches 10-30 meters. The birthplace of the berry is China.
Lychee has an oval or round shape with a diameter of 2.5-4 cm. The ripe fruit has a dense red skin with a large number of sharp tubercles. Only the pulp of the fruit is used for food, which has a jelly-like structure, and in color and taste resembles peeled white grapes. Inside the pulp there is an oval brown seed. The main lychee harvest occurs in May-June.
History of appearance and distribution around the world
The first mention of lychee dates back to the 2nd century BC. during the reign of Chinese Emperor Wu Di. At that time, China was divided by the Great Wall of China into two separate states: South and North China. According to one legend, ruler Wu Di tried to introduce the fruit from the south and begin cultivating it in the northern territories, but due to lack of heat, moisture and soil fertility, the plant did not take root. Angry, he ordered the execution of all the court gardeners. Lychees were first brought to European countries in the mid-17th century.
Currently, lychee is grown everywhere throughout the subtropical territory of Southeast Asia, where there are no harsh winters and the climate is quite dry.
Use in cooking
Lychees are used mainly fresh for food. However, desserts (ice cream, jelly, marmalade), preserves, marmalade, and Chinese wine can also be made from the pulp of the berry. You can also find lychees in dried form. At the same time, the peel of the fruit becomes woody, and the dry pulp with the stone rolls freely inside. Lychees in this form are called lychee nut.
Selection and storage
Fresh fruits are very difficult to store and transport over long distances. To keep lychees longer, they are picked in clusters together with a branch and a few leaves. At a temperature of 1-7°C, lychees can be stored for a month, and at room temperature - only 3 days.
When purchasing lychees in a store, you should pay attention to the peel. It should be red, not too soft and without visible damage. The brown color indicates that the lychee is not fresh.
Nutritional value per 100 grams:
Beneficial properties of lychee
Composition and presence of nutrients
Lychee fruits contain a large number of nutrients, including vitamins (, , , group B, PP), minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, sodium, iodine, selenium, manganese), organic acids and pectin substances .
Doctors of oriental medicine use lychee for the treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis, normalization of sugar levels in diabetes, liver, lungs and kidneys. In combination with medicinal herbs and lemongrass, lychees are used to treat cancer and restore strength in the fight against disease. In this case, you should consume at least 10 fruits per day.
Due to the high content of potassium in the pulp of the fruit, it is recommended for use by people with cardiovascular disease, high blood cholesterol and anemia. It is also used to treat the stomach, pancreas, and intestinal dysfunction. In Hindu medicine, lychee is considered an aphrodisiac that enhances sexual desire and male power.
Dangerous properties of lychee
Lychee has no contraindications for use. Only those people who have individual intolerance to the fetus should not eat them. When offering lychee to children, you need to ensure that they do not consume more than 100 g per day. Also, excessive consumption of fruit can cause
Lychee (otherwise known as “fox”, “liji”, “Chinese plum”, “laysi”, “dragon eye”) is a tasty and healthy fruit that can be found not only in the countries of Southeast Asia, but also in domestic supermarkets. Recently, these fruits have been exported to us mainly from Vietnam and Thailand. However, many still do not know what lychee fruit tastes like and how to eat it. The benefits and harms of “Chinese plum” are of interest to many consumers. Let's try to figure this out.
What does lychee look like?
This fruit is small in size (from 2.5 to 3.5 cm in diameter) and weighs about 15, maximum 20 g. It has an oval or ovoid shape. The reddish or pinkish peel of lychee is dense, but brittle, and consists of numerous tubercles. The jelly-like juicy pulp of the fruit has a white or cream tint. It has an excellent, refreshing, sweet and sour taste and pleasant aroma. Inside the fruit there is an inedible seed, oblong in shape, dark brown in color. This is what lychee fruit looks like, the photo clearly demonstrates it. 
This interesting fruit grows in clusters on evergreen trees of the Sapindaceae family, reaching a height of 30 m. They have a thick, spreading crown. Their leaves are dense and leathery, usually a rich dark green hue. Lychee trees bloom with numerous yellowish flowers, collected in hanging inflorescences similar to “umbrellas”.
Where did this tropical fruit come from?
The birthplace of lychee is considered to be China, where this fruit has been grown for more than 1000 years. Since ancient times, the Chinese called this fruit the “eye of the dragon”, due to the bright combination of red peel, white pulp and brown seed. In Europe, they learned about this tasty fruit only in the 17th century. Where does lychee grow now? Nowadays, trees of the Sapindaceae family actively bear fruit in vast areas of Southeast Asia, Australia, the countries of South America and Africa (South Africa), as well as in the southern United States. This fruit is exported to Russia mainly from the northern regions of Vietnam and Thailand. Harvest in the subtropics in May-June, cutting off the bunches along with the stem part of the branch. Fruits collected individually spoil extremely quickly and begin to ferment. 
Lychee - a storehouse of vitamins and minerals
This tropical fruit has a variety of beneficial properties, as it contains a lot of vitamins. "Dragon's eye" is rich in valuable micro- and macroelements. Lychee contains B vitamins, including thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin. Dragon eye also contains vitamins K, E, H and folic acid. It contains especially a lot of vitamin C. In addition, lychee is rich in healthy dietary fiber and plenty of clean water. In addition, Chinese plums are rich in minerals, including copper, fluorine, zinc, manganese, and iodine. It contains phosphorus, sodium, calcium, iron, sulfur and potassium. The sugar content in lychee varies between 5-15% depending on where the fruit grows.
Lychee fruit. Benefits and harms
Such a high content of valuable vitamins, micro- and macroelements, as well as fiber and pure water makes the “Chinese plum” an extremely healthy product. It saturates a person with necessary substances, gives strength and vigor. Lychee has an excellent tonic effect on the body as a whole and mobilizes the immune system. In China, it has been known since ancient times that “dragon eye” is a powerful natural aphrodisiac. It is able to rejuvenate the body, activate desire and maintain “love” functions at the proper level. Lychee fruit has been successfully used for the prevention and treatment of many serious diseases. Its benefits and harm are, in fact, disproportionate. Counts, 
"Chinese plum" cannot cause serious harm to human health. But its benefits are enormous. However, it is advisable to exercise caution when consuming the fruit. You should not eat too much lychee at once. Otherwise, an allergic reaction may occur. It manifests itself as acne on the skin and damage to the oral mucosa. First, you should try one or two fruits and monitor the body’s reaction. If everything is in order, you can safely eat up to 250 g of “Chinese plum” per day (for adults). Children over 2 years old need to consume about 100 g of fruit. It is not advisable to include lychees in the diet of one-year-old babies. “Chinese plum” is contraindicated for those who have been found to have an individual intolerance to it.
How is lychee fruit used in folk medicine? how is it useful?
This tropical fruit is widely used in folk oriental medicine. It can and should be used to prevent vitamin deficiency and anemia. Lychee is often used to prevent cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis, because it contains a significant amount of potassium. 
The fruit also contains nicotinic acid, which has a positive effect on lipid metabolism in the body. Lychee fruit helps clear cholesterol from the blood and dilates blood vessels. What else is it useful for? It is used to normalize blood sugar levels, so it is indicated for people with diabetes or hypoglycemia. In addition, useful decoctions and infusions are made from the “Chinese plum”, which normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, have a mild laxative effect, and have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the liver and kidneys. People with lung diseases, including those suffering from bronchitis, asthma or tuberculosis, are prescribed to take preparations with lychee. These drugs make breathing easier and normalize the function of the respiratory system. Regular consumption of lychee is beneficial for those who have peptic ulcers, gastritis and pancreatic diseases. In oriental medicine, “Chinese plum” in combination with lemongrass is even used to treat cancer, including breast cancer. Is lychee peel healthy? It is no less valuable than the pulp of the fruit. Lychee peel is used to prepare decoctions and infusions that have a pronounced diuretic effect. They help remove excess fluid from body tissues, and also increase overall tone and improve well-being.
"Chinese plum" in dietary nutrition
Nutritionists recommend eating lychee in order to saturate the body with water and also reduce the feeling of hunger. “Chinese plum” contains pectin. It allows you to quickly saturate the body, giving nutrition to the beneficial intestinal microflora. Therefore, it is recommended to eat several lychee fruits before each meal, which will reduce the standard portion of food and avoid overeating. The calorie content of lychee is only 76 kcal/100 g, so people who carefully monitor their weight can eat it without fear.
How to choose good, fresh fruit in the store?
If you want to purchase high-quality, tasty fruits, you must follow the following simple rules. Firstly, when choosing a lychee, you need to pay attention to the color of its peel. It should be pink or red. Brown color indicates that the fruit was picked from the tree a long time ago and has already deteriorated. The taste of dark-colored lychee will be unpleasant, and the smell will be sharper and stronger. The light yellow color of the fruit, on the contrary, indicates its immaturity. This fruit is also not worth purchasing. Secondly, when choosing a “Chinese plum” you need to pay attention to the presence of damage. A good fruit will not have any suspicious spots, dents, or cracks. Thirdly, the lychee should be elastic, as if it would soon “burst”. You should not take a fruit that is too soft or, conversely, hard. Fourthly, there should be no white spots or mold in the place where the petiole was located. And finally, the scent of lychee should be pleasant, fresh, slightly reminiscent of a rose. Too heavy and sweet indicates overripeness and staleness of the fruit.
"Dragon's Eye" in cooking
How to eat lychee? You just need to wash the fruit under running water, peel it, and then remove the inedible pit. The juicy pulp of the fruit can be eaten fresh. Reminiscent of a mixture of strawberries, white grapes, currants and dried apricots, lychee fruit. Its taste is pleasant, sweet and sour, fresh. In addition to eating fresh, lychees can be canned, dried, frozen and cooked. It is used to make drinks and desserts, including delicious ice cream, various sauces, mousses, and jellies. Lychee is used to make excellent golden wine, with a pleasant fruity aromatic and soft sweet and sour aftertaste. 
"Dragon's eye" is also used in preparing dishes from game, meat and sea fish. In Chinese restaurants, you can taste deep-fried shrimp in sweet and sour sauce with lychee (Lizhi Xia Qiu). If you manage to buy fresh "Chinese plum", be sure to try making sweet and sour chicken with almonds and lychee sauce at home. In addition, the fruit is used in the preparation of various baked goods, it is added to the filling of pies and pies, and cookies and cakes are made from it.
How to properly store lychee?
The issue of storing the “dragon eye” deserves special attention. In general, it is advisable to eat this fruit as soon as possible - on the first day after purchase. At room temperature, lychee can be safely kept for 2-3 days. In the refrigerator, at 7°C, lychee can be kept for one or two weeks, provided that the shell is intact and there is no damage. In general, this fruit spoils quite quickly, its peel darkens and the amount of vitamins in its composition decreases. If you want to preserve lychees for a long time, we advise you to peel the fruits and freeze them. You can also dry the fruit or preserve it. In China, pickled lychees are stored inside bamboo stalks. In India and Vietnam, the whole fruit is dried, after which the peel becomes hard, and such fruits are called “nuts.” In this article we looked at an interesting Chinese fruit - lychee, the benefits and harms of which concern many consumers. As you can see, the “Chinese plum” has practically no contraindications and therefore can be safely eaten. Moreover, it is rich in vitamins, minerals and has a lot of undeniable advantages! Be sure to try this delicious exotic product.
Lychee fruit. Its beneficial properties
Lychee (Wikipedia even knows about such exotic fruits) is the fruit of an evergreen tree called “Chinese lychee”. This fruit tree, growing in the subtropics, belongs to the Sapindaceae family. The lychee tree grows mainly in China, but it can be seen in South America, Africa, Asia, and occasionally in Australia. Lychee reaches a height of 30 meters. Fruits appear on the tree from about May to June.
The lychee fruit (the photo won’t let you lie) is a small berry with a diameter of up to 4 cm, covered with a peel that resembles scales with numerous sharp tubercles. The peel of the berry is hard and easily removed, revealing the tender, jelly-like and slightly transparent pulp. It’s amazing that under such a “crocodile” skin there is such a delicate fruit. And inside there is a large oval bone, which holds the shape of the pulp. The taste of lychee is sour and bitter, slightly astringent and quite a bit reminiscent of peeled white grapes.
Lychee. How to select and store
The route from China is not close. Therefore, lychees are picked in whole clusters with leaves. The optimal temperature for transportation is not lower than one degree and not higher than six degrees Celsius. Under such conditions, the berries can be stored for up to a month. But at room temperature they begin to deteriorate after just a few days - this can be seen by the color and structure of the skin.
When buying lychee at the market or supermarket, carefully inspect the skin. The skin of a ripe berry is red, while that of a slightly overripe or stale one is brown. The peel should be intact, of medium hardness, without rotten parts or cracks.
It is better to eat lychees right away, since after 4-5 days they already lose some of their properties. They are stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of less than 5-7 degrees. Look at the label when the bunch was picked or transported - from this date we store the berries for no more than a month in the refrigerator.
Lychee. How do you eat berries?
In cooking, lychees are used in different ways.
- Lychee can be eaten fresh - wash it, peel the skin, remove the seed if desired, put it in your mouth and enjoy the sweet and sour taste.
- You can add it to ready-made or homemade ice cream, curd mass or yogurt, after cutting the berries.
- Do you like to bake? Instead of apples or plums, add lychee to the pie - the taste will surprise you. Fortunately, the prices for this exotic product are not high.
- Make jams, lychee marmalades, jellies and mousses.
- Lychee is a fruit, but it is suitable not only for sweet dishes. It can be served with fish and meat, pate and chicken. Yes, it won’t be superfluous in salads.
Lychee Ice Cream Recipe
Squeeze the juice from five medium-sized lemons and mix it with a kilogram of lychee. The berries must first be peeled, cut and pitted. Add half a liter of pineapple juice to the mixture.
Pre-soaked gelatin (you will find instructions on the gelatin package) is filtered and a quarter kilogram of sugar and a little lemon juice are added to it. All this is poured into lychee, the mass is mixed, placed in molds or in a container and left in the freezer for several hours.
The delicious-tasting sorbet ice cream is ready. Enjoy.
Composition and beneficial properties of lychee
In China, lychees were used in medicine as early as the 2nd century BC. And the Chinese watch their health, oh, how they watch it. Judge for yourself, one berry weighing about 20 grams contains potassium, manganese, fluorine, phosphorus, sodium, iodine, calcium, zinc, chlorine, iron, magnesium, sulfur, copper. What fruit or berry do you know that contains so many elements of the periodic table? So you don’t need any medications. Lychee also contains vitamins C and H, K and E, PP and group B.
The berry is of medium sweetness; it can contain from 5-6 to 13-14% sugar. It depends on the place where the lychee grows and the type of tree. The calorie content of one fruit is no more than 66 kcal, it contains plant fiber, carbohydrates and proteins.
Such a rich content of beneficial properties in lychee has a beneficial effect on a person’s overall health, no matter how pretentious it may sound.
- Vitamin C, of which there is a lot in lychee, fights viral infections and strengthens the immune system.
- Potassium is indispensable for heart patients, for those with low hemoglobin in the blood and high cholesterol in the blood vessels.
- Vitamin PP is a means of combating atherosclerosis.
The combination of other microelements successfully copes with diseases of the kidneys, lungs, liver, stomach and intestinal colic, and normalizes blood sugar levels and pancreatic activity (you need to eat 10 berries per day).
Lychee contains oligonol, which is a powerful antioxidant. If you take lemongrass and some other herbs along with lychee, you can treat cancer or at least slow down the development of this scourge.
Hindus value lychee for strengthening male power, so they eat it regularly. Want to know what else this valuable product is useful for? Please!
- It relieves thirst because it contains water in large quantities. Although the advantage is quite controversial - you can just drink water...
- Eating a few ripe berries before lunch will saturate your body a little, and you won’t eat too much at the table.
- Treats constipation.
- Bronchitis, tuberculosis, and asthma are also affected by lychee.
- Relieves stress.
- Stimulates brain activity.
- Treats anemia.
- Lychee is filling, so it helps you lose weight or keep it off. Naturally, when used correctly.
- Pediatricians will agree that lychee is useful for children as a means of helping to form the skeleton, strengthen teeth and bones.
After eating the pulp, do not throw away the peel and seeds. By boiling the peel, we obtain a product that removes excess water from the body. The same decoction is a restorative and tonic drink. We dry the seeds, grind them and drink a decoction from them for problems in the intestines, pain of various types, for orchitis, myositis and neuralgia.
Who shouldn't eat lychee?
Lychee is not capable of harming anyone. Unless for those who are allergic to this exotic fruit. And nutritionists do not advise eating more than one hundred grams of berries per day. Oversaturation threatens bloating and gas formation.
Is it possible to grow lychees at home?
Lychee is a subtropical crop and it will be difficult to grow it here. And is it necessary, given the growth of the tree? Remember, it can reach 20 or even 30 meters in height!
For those who want to try their hand at selection and cultivation, the following information will be useful.
- For lychee it is worth creating a dry climate, like in the subtropics. If the air is humid, lychee may not bear fruit.
- Lychees can be grown vegetatively or from seedlings.
- You can expect fruits already in the sixth year with vegetative propagation or in the 10th year if grown from seeds.
As an experiment, you can try growing decorative lychee at home on a windowsill from a seed - you didn’t throw it away when you ate the pulp, did you?
- Moisten the fabric and wrap the washed bone in it. Place in a warm place for a week or two. Don't forget to moisten the cloth.
- The seed can be planted in the ground when it swells a little. The top layer of soil is about 2 cm.
- We buy well-drained, acidic soil for lychee, generously flavor it with fertilizers,
- To make the seed sprout faster, you can split it a little.
- We water our seed with water at room temperature that has settled for a couple of days. Don't forget to loosen the soil.
- You can fertilize the soil as soon as a sprout appears from it.
Make sure that the soil does not become waterlogged, otherwise the plant will die. As the lychee grows, transplant it into a larger pot so that the roots are not crowded. During the first couple of years, the tree can be shaped by pruning.
It is difficult to say whether the tree will bloom and bear fruit. Still, this is an overseas guest, and he has his own character. But if you don’t try to grow it, it will definitely not bear fruit...
Lychee fruit - benefits and harm
The Chinese lychee fruit is mostly unknown to us. Either those who went on vacation to China or those who like to experiment with food and constantly try something new had a chance to try this curiosity. The appearance of this fruit is so unusual that it is even difficult to immediately realize that it is edible. At first glance, it most resembles a lumpy rubber ball of a pinkish or reddish color, about three to four centimeters in diameter. And it’s hard to imagine that under this dense shell there is hidden the most delicate creamy pulp with the smell of roses and a completely unique subtle sweet and sour taste. Due to its exotic nature, many people have a vague idea about the benefits and harms of lychee fruit. Meanwhile, it makes sense to take a closer look at this fruit.
Properties of lychee and its composition
The properties, that is, the benefits and harms of the lychee fruit, are directly related to its composition. Most of all it contains water and dietary fiber. The fruit also contains a large amount of carbohydrate compounds. But the main thing is that lychee pulp contains a wide variety of active substances. For example, here you can find B vitamins, vitamins C, E, PP, rare vitamin K, choline, iron, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, selenium, as well as the valuable substance zeaxanthin, which is responsible for visual acuity, along with vitamin A. Thanks to this Rich in composition, lychee has a lot of beneficial properties. But they will manifest themselves fully only if the person ate the fruit according to all the rules.
How to eat lychee?
The peel of this fruit is inedible, so it is washed and removed with a knife. After that, the seed is removed from the fruit - it is quite large and easily separated from the pulp. At the table, it is customary to eat the Chinese lychee fruit with a dessert spoon, since the consistency of its most delicious part is jelly-like and it will be difficult to take it with your hands without the risk of getting dirty. The fruit can be eaten fresh, canned or dried. Very often they are used to prepare something like a pulp puree with juice. And in China itself, they also prefer to dry lychees entirely directly in the peel, and then use them in the form of dried fruits. Lychee goes well with protein foods; it is used to make gravies, baking fillings, ice cream, drinks, etc.
What are the benefits of lychee?
Due to the large amount of carbohydrates, the fruit is difficult to classify as a dietary product. But its calorie content is not so high - only 66-70 kcal per hundred grams, so even those who are slightly overweight can easily include it in their diet, but it should be eaten in reasonable quantities.
In the East, lychee is considered a powerful aphrodisiac, so there they even gave the fruit the appropriate nickname “fruit of love.” It must be served at the wedding table so that the marriage is successful. In the homeland of the fruit, China, it is actively used in traditional medicine recipes. For example, for the treatment of heart diseases, getting rid of high cholesterol, atherosclerosis, etc.
Western nutritionists also recognize the beneficial properties of lychee. Studies have shown that, like other plant foods, this fruit has a beneficial effect on intestinal function, saturates the body with moisture, optimizes metabolic processes, and as a result helps to lose weight.
But besides the benefits, lychee also has harm. Firstly, like any exotic, it can cause allergies. Secondly, due to the high carbohydrate content, it can cause heaviness and pain in the intestines, increased gas formation and exacerbation of gastritis and ulcers. Therefore, it should be eaten in reasonable quantities and no more than two or three times a week.
Beneficial properties of lychee
Lychee is one of the most valuable products in the east, and recently it can be found on the shelves of supermarkets in our country. The fruits of this plant are not only incredibly tasty, but also healthy. Lychee is a tree that belongs to the Sapindaceae family. There are about two thousand species and one hundred and fifty genera in the world. Lychee grows mainly in Africa, America and Asia. Not such a large number can be found in Australia. In each of the above countries, the beneficial properties of lychee have long been known.
The fruit first became known in China, where it is also called “lisi” or “liji”. Many documents that date back to the second century BC indicate that the fruits of the plant in question were consumed as food in ancient China. Over time, the fame of the miraculous fruit began to spread to neighboring countries, and very soon lychee became popular in Southeast Asia and other continents. For the first time, the beneficial properties of lychee were described in detail in the book of Gonzalez de Mendoza, a writer from Spain who promoted Chinese culture.
The average size of the fruits of the plant in question is three and a half centimeters; as for the shape, it can be ovoid or oval. The weight of the fetus can reach a maximum of twenty grams. The fruit is covered with a dense peel, intensely colored red and covered with small tubercles with pimples. Inside the fruit there is white pulp, which resembles jelly in its consistency. Inside the pulp you can find a large, dense, brown seed. The taste of the fruit pulp is surprisingly pleasant, refreshing, sweet and sour. The aroma is no less pleasant and unusual. The Chinese call this fruit the dragon's eye because the flesh is light and the seed inside is large and dark.
Chemical composition of lychee:
- One hundred grams of fruit contains 17 g of carbohydrates, 0.3 g of fat, 0.9 g of protein and 79.5 g of water.
- The fruit also contains vitamin K, C, B9, B6, B5, Niacin, B2 and B1, E and Biotin.
- Macroelements include Phosphorus, Chlorine, Sulfur, Sodium, Magnesium, Potassium and Calcium.
- Among the microelements in 100 g of pulp are 10 mcg of fluorine, 70 mcg of zinc, 140 mcg of copper, 55 mcg of manganese, 1.3 mcg of iodine and 0.35 mcg of iron.
- The calorie content of lychee is 76 kcal per 100 g.
Beneficial properties of lychee
The benefits of lychee are due to the presence of abundant minerals and vitamins in it. Lychee is often recommended to people who suffer from cardiovascular diseases, since it contains a lot of calcium and vitamin C. It is heart patients in China who often include this fruit in their diet. Also, Chinese sages strongly recommended lychees to those who want to lower blood cholesterol levels or to people with atherosclerosis.
The combination of lychee and lemongrass helps treat cancer. Residents of the East consider this fruit to be the fruit of love, and also use it as a component to treat gastritis, constipation and many other diseases. The thirst-quenching properties of lychee are well known to people who are forced to stay away from water sources for a long time.
The preventive effect of the fruit on the human body is already known to many today; lychee has a beneficial effect on the liver and kidneys. If we talk about medicinal products, the fruit in question is used to treat asthma, respiratory diseases, bronchitis and tuberculosis. If you eat ten fruits of the tree a day, the blood sugar level of diabetics can be brought back to normal.
The benefits of lychee are also represented by the following properties:
- Promotes weight loss;
- Normalizes the functioning of the digestive system;
- Excellent thirst quencher;
- Has a tonic effect;
- Treats anemia;
- Reduces blood sugar levels;
- Treats constipation.
Contraindications to consuming lychee
The fruit is very tasty and healthy, but you need to know the limit in everything. Abuse of the fruits of this tree in rare cases can cause an allergic reaction in the form of a rash, pimples or irritation of the mucous membrane. Children can consume no more than 100 g of pulp per day. In rare cases, individual intolerance occurs.
Benefits of lychee (video)
LYCHI BENEFITS AND HARM | what are the benefits of lychee, the beneficial properties of lychee calorie content
Benefits of pine cone jam
Lychee
Good afternoon, my dear readers! Lychee is a fruit of the Sapindaceae family, not quite familiar to our area, well unknown. It is imported to us mainly from the African Republic, from America and from Asia.
This fruit can be found on sale under different names, in particular, as Chinese plum, laysi, liji, lisi.
The overseas fruit is distinguished by its small size, lumpy, brick-colored, dense skin and juicy, jelly-like sweet pulp.
Let's figure out whether there are any benefits to lychee fruits, how to use them correctly and where is the best place to store the exotic product.
Lychee: calories
Lychee is an overseas fruit that is classified as a low-calorie product. Calorie content in this case will depend on the type (variety) and growing conditions of the fruit. On average, 100 grams of lychee pulp contains from 65 to 75 kcal.
How much can you eat lychee per day?
According to experts, the daily norm of lychee per day for adults is 10-12 pieces, and for children 3-5 pieces.
Lychee: beneficial properties Lychee: beneficial properties
Lychee is a product with oriental roots, and therefore, for the most part, it is used in the preparation of various medicinal recipes by healers in Asian countries. They recommend consuming 7-10 lychee fruits per day:
- to lower sugar;
- to cleanse the blood of cholesterol plaques;
- for diseases of the pancreas and liver;
- for constipation;
- in case of improper bowel function;
- for the prevention of kidney and lung diseases;
- for the treatment of tuberculosis;
- for weight loss;
- for the prevention of heart diseases;
- for the prevention of atherosclerosis;
- to quench thirst;
— for the treatment of oncological diseases;
- to improve potency and libido.
Lychee - seeds
Lychee fruit: beneficial properties of the seed
As a rule, lychees are consumed fresh and only the pulp of the product. Few people know that the fruit seed also contains special benefits.
Once in the body, the powdered composition (it must be mixed with other products), and it is in this form that you can consume lychee seeds, has an analgesic effect, and also helps:
- with orchitis;
- for intestinal disorders and some other gastrointestinal diseases;
- for neuralgia;
- in case of metabolic disorders.
Among other things, Chinese healers prepare tea and decoctions from seeds ground into powder, adding some other ingredients to the powder, which they then consume for medicinal purposes, usually to prevent worms and treat diarrhea. However, there is no evidence yet that these remedies really help cope with these diseases.
Attention! Representatives of traditional medicine claim that in addition to beneficial properties, lychee seeds also contain poison, which, if consumed in large quantities, can lead to serious poisoning. Before you start using exotic fruit seed powder, get professional advice from your doctor.
How to choose lychee fruit?
1. To choose a tasty and juicy, ripe lychee, you should first carefully examine the fruits. Fruits with deep red skin are considered good. At the same time, there should not be any dark or rotten spots on them. The color should be uniform throughout the fruit.
2. And the second rule, when choosing an exotic product, touch it. Ripe fruits are soft to the touch.
Lychee fruit. Photo. How it grows
Lychee fruit. Photo. How it grows.
How to store lychee at home?
1. It is not difficult to store lychee at home, in principle, like any other fruit. It is enough to put the food from the bag on a plate and place it directly in the room in the coolest place, that is, not near the stove or electric kettles. Remember, mature lychees spoil very quickly.
2. If you are going to eat the purchased fruits within 1-2 days, store them in the room.
3. If you purchased the products in advance and want to serve them to your guests after 3-5 days, then put the lychees without a bag in the refrigerator, in a special compartment for storing fresh vegetables and fruits.
4. Canned and dried lychees have the longest shelf life, and therefore, if you want to preserve the product for several months, simply prepare a sweet dessert from it in the form of jam or dry the fruit after removing the peel.
How to clean lychees? How to eat lychees correctly?
In Asia, lychees are typically used to make vinegar and wine. Europeans usually add the pulp of this fruit to various drinks and desserts.
Meanwhile, some people eat lychees fresh, but in order to really appreciate the full taste and juiciness of this fruit, it is important to know how to peel it correctly, and this can be done in several ways.
1. Take the fruit, make a small cut in the area of the stalk with a knife, remove the skin from the product by picking it up with your fingernail, cut the pulp in half, remove the bone and eat the fruit.
2. Take one fruit in your hands, press it a little in the middle with your fingers and turn the peel clockwise with one hand and counterclockwise with the other, removing the skin, thus also removing the bone from the pulp and then consuming the product. Do similar procedures with each fruit.
3. Another option for cleaning and consuming lychee is to carefully cut off the shell of the fruit with a sharp knife, then cut into the flesh, remove the pit and eat the whole pulp.
Lychee: what does it taste like?
The small, oval-shaped lychee fruits taste very juicy and resemble a mixture of strawberries and pineapple. It is a very refreshing and light taste that leaves behind an amazing aftertaste.
It is worth noting that well-ripened fruits have this taste, that is, fruits with a uniform dark red peel.
Attention! If you purchased unripe or spoiled lychee, you should not eat it. This may cause poisoning. When buying exotic fruits, always check them for the presence of extraneous brown or any other spots, as well as for softness.
Lychee: contraindications
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