Lychee facts | Health Benefits

Lychee belongs to the member of family Sapindaceae. This plant is cultivated as a vital fruit tree in the tropical and subtropical areas. The features of Lychee fruit are it possess bright color, excellent tast and exotic aroma. Lychee is a well-known fruit in the world. Currently, it is cultivated on every continent besides Antarctica and is noted as “King of Fruits”.

Name	Lychee
Scientific Name	Litchi chinensis
Native	Lychee is native to Southern China and was introduced to the countries with subtropical or tropical climates by past 400 years.
Common/English Name	Chinese Cherry, Lichee, Leechee, Litchi, Mountain Lychee, Lychee, Water Lychee
Name in Other Languages	Brazil: Lichia; Burmese: Lin Chi; Chinese: Ma Gie; Czech: Liči čínské; Danish: Litchiblomme; Dutch: Lychee; French: Litchier; Haiti (French): Quenepe Chinois; Hungarian: Licsi; India:- Bengali: Lichi, Hindu: Lichi, Kannada: Lichi Hannu, Manipuri: Lichi, Marathi: Lichi, Mizoram: Lachu, Oriya: Lichi; Indonesia (Kalimantan): Mengkuris; Italian: Litchi; German: Litschibaum; Greek: Litsi; Japanese: Reishi; Khmer: Kuléén; Laotian: Ngèèw; Malaysia: Kelengkang; Nepali: Litchi; Philippines (Tagalog): Licheas; Polish: Liczi chińskie; Portuguese: Litchia; Reunion (French): Pied De Letchi; Russian: Nefelium Lichi; Slovašcina: Liči; Spanish: Mamoncillo Chino; Swedish: Litchiplommon; Thai: Si Raman Kha; Vietnamese: Tu Hú
Plant Growth Habit	Evergreen, medium sized tree
Growing Climate	Warm subtropical to tropical
Soil	Well-drained
Plant Size	Height: 40-50 feet
Lifespan	Perennial plant, survive for 1,000 years in wild
Trunk	Short stocky
Bark	Dark greyish
Branches	Terete, lenticellate, brownish to red
Leaf	Alternate, pinnate, dark green, evergreen, glossy, Length: 3-6 inches
Flowering Season	Late December-April
Flower	Small, greenish to white to yellowish
Fruit shape & size	Aromatic, subglobose, ovoid, heart shaped, Length: 4 cm; Wide: 2 or 5 cm
Fruit weight	10 g
Fruit color	Strawberry red, pinkish, amber; Diameter: 1.5 inch
Flesh color	Glossy, thick, succulent, translucent to white
Fruit peel	Thin, leathery, rough, yellow-pinkish or red
Flavor/aroma	Subacid, pungent
Fruit Taste	Distinct, sweet
Seed	One, hard, shiny, dark brown, ellipsoid to oblong; Length: 20 mm
Varieties/Types	Emperor fruit Mauritiu Sweet Heart Brewster Haak Yip Bengal
Fruit Season	Late June-July
Major Nutritions (Raw)	Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) 135.8 mg (150.89%) Copper, Cu 0.281 mg (31.22%) Carbohydrate 31.41 g (24.16%) Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) 0.19 mg (14.62%) Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.124 mg (9.54%) Phosphorus, P 59 mg (8.43%) Iron, Fe 0.59 mg (7.38%) Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1.146 mg (7.16%) Potassium, K 325 mg (6.91%) Vitamin B9 (Folate) 27 µg (6.75%)
Health Benefits	Supports digestion Enhance immunity Prevent cancer Antiviral properties Maintains blood pressure Oligonol Circulates blood
Calories in 1 cup (190 gm)	125 Kcal.
Traditional uses	The decoction is used as a gargle alleviates throat ailments. Treats orchitis and neuralgic disorders. Provides relief from coughs, cells growth and stomach pain. Treat tumors, gastralgia and gland enlargements. Cure eruptions of smallpox and diarrhea. Powdered seeds are useful for intestinal problems. Provide relief from neuralgic pains. Grinded seeds soothes gastric. Promote bleeding, cure sore throats and prevent the UV rays.
Precautions	Limited amounts for diabetic patients. Discontinue using before two weeks of a scheduled surgery. Experience allergic reactions. Overconsumption results in diarrhea, gastrointestinal problems and abdominal pain. Excessive consumption results in hypoglycemia, seizure, fever and unconsciousness.
How to Eat	Added to fruit salads and fruit cups. Packed with mixture of mayonnaise and cream cheese. Covered with whipped cream and pistachio ice cream as a dessert. Added to the ice cream mix. Made as sherbet. Lychee is canned in sugar syrup. Consumed like raisins. Consumed fresh or raw. Added to fruit dressings and salads. Made into jellies, sorbet, jams, sauces and syrups. Found fresh, dried or canned. Added to the recipes, desserts and ice cream. Lychee is used with the slices of avocado. Lychee mixes well with banana, strawberry, mango, papaya and coconut water.
Other Facts	The leaves consist of 2 to 4 thin leaflets. The flowers can be green, white or yellow. Bees are the main pollinators of the plant. Lychee ripens in 100-120 days. Lychee possesses a floral aroma. Lychee is called Chinese strawberry because looks like strawberry. In China, Lychee is regarded as the symbol of romance and love. China and India are the highest manufacturers of Lychee. The dried Lychee possesses a smoky flavor. The rough and thin skin of Lychee is peeled before consumption. Lychee has red to pink skin with translucent flesh.