Grown in tropical and subtropical regions but popular all over the world, litchis or lychees are widely known as fruits that tantalize the taste buds. Scientifically known as Litchi chinensis, this fruit grows in clusters on a slow growing medium-sized evergreen tree. It has a round or oval shape with a pinkish brown rind, translucent to white flesh, and an inedible seed. This juicy summer treat has more than taste to offer. It is highly rich in nutrients and offers numerous benefits for your skin, hair, and health that make it all the more irresistible.
As you grow older, your skin starts to show the first signs of aging. Litchi, when used topically, can help delay their appearance.
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Why This Works
As you age, your body produces more and more free radicals. These free radicals damage your skin and cause wrinkles. Litchi is rich in antioxidants that combine with the free radicals and prevent them from damaging your skin (1).
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Blemishes are the bane of anyone who seeks flawless skin. Applying litchi juice can help fade away the blemishes and marks, leaving you with clear skin.
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Blemishes are basically spots bearing the signs of hyperpigmentation. Litchi is an excellent source of vitamin C (2). This makes it a potent cure for blemishes (3).
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Spending too much time under the harsh rays of the sun can cause redness and blisters. Sunburns can cause pain and irritation, and applying litchi infused with vitamin E can help soothe your inflamed skin.
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Litchi is effective for treating sunburns because of its vitamin C content. A combination of vitamins C and E has been proven to treat the effects of the sun on the skin (4).
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Litchi, when used topically, can help promote hair growth.
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Your hair grows when the hair follicles are properly nourished. Copper peptides enlarge the hair follicles, which drastically reduces the resting phase of hair growth (5). Since litchi is an excellent source of copper, it helps stimulate the hair follicles and makes your hair grow.
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One of the most important benefits of litchi is that it has anticancer effects.
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Research using litchi extracts have shown that they contain powerful antioxidants and have anticancer effects, which are especially effective against breast cancer cells (6).
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The antioxidants present in litchi can help promote cardiovascular health.
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Litchis contain a compound named oligonol that promotes the production of nitric oxide (7). Nitric oxide or NO is a vasodialator, which means it helps expand the blood vessels to allow blood to flow through properly. This reduces the pressure on your heart to pump blood, reduces the wear and tear your heart goes through, and improves the overall cardiovascular health.
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Litchis can help keep your digestive system healthy.
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As a fruit native to the region, litchis were consumed by the Chinese to help with digestion and relieve stomach ailments (8). Litchis have a lot of water content, which has a soothing effect on the stomach, and a considerable amount of fiber, that helps in digestion (9).
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Cataract is the visual impairment due to the clouding of lens in the eyes. Since cataract affects millions, there have been numerous studies conducted regarding it. One study concluded that litchi might help inhibit cataract.
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Litchis contain phytochemicals that exhibit antioxidant and antineoplasmic properties, which means they help prevent abnormal growth of cells (10). This helps prevent cataract.
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Influenza is caused by viruses, and is an extremely communicable disease. Due to certain strains of these viruses showing resistance to traditional antiviral drugs, there is the need to develop new medications. Litchi fruit extracts have shown to be effective against these viruses.
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Litchis exhibit antiviral properties due to the presence of oligonol that stops the virus from multiplying (11).
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Being a low calorie fruit, litchi is ideal for those who are looking to lose weight.
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Litchis don’t have too many calories, with 100 grams containing only 66 calories (12). They also contain a lot of water, a significant amount of fiber, and have a negligible fat content. This makes them ideal for those looking to lose weight.
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Litchis are mostly grown in tropical and sub-tropical regions. They are seasonal fruits, and are usually available from June through October. They are highly perishable, and once plucked from the tree, do not ripen any further.
A pinkish-brown shell indicates that the fruit is fresh. Select litchis that are firm, feel heavy, and have a dry shell. Avoid the ones that feel soft, or have cracked shell or black spots.
Litchis don’t have a long shelf life. When stored in the refrigerator in a plastic bag, they can last about 10 days. Refrigeration usually turns the shell of the litchi darker without affecting the fruit.
Litchis have a high nutritional value. They are very rich in Vitamin C, containing about 71.5 mg per 100 grams. They are also rich in copper and phosphorus. The thing that makes litchis unique is that they contain the polyphenol oligonol that has antioxidant and anti-viral properties. For a more detailed overview on the nutritional value of litchis, refer to the chart below.
Nutritive value per 100 g, (Source: USDA National Nutrient data base)
Principle
Nutrient Value
Percentage of RDA
Energy66 kcal3.3%Carbohydrates16.53 g12.7%Protein0.83 g1.5%Total Fat0.44 g2%Cholesterol0 mg0%Dietary Fiber1.3 g3.5%Vitamins
Folates14 µg3.5%Niacin0.603 mg3.5%Choline7.1 mg1%Pyridoxine0.100 mg9%Riboflavin0.065 mg5%Thiamin0.011 mg1%Vitamin A0 mg0%Vitamin C71.5 mg119%Vitamin E0.07 mg0.5%Vitamin K0.4 µg0.3%Electrolytes
Sodium1 mg0%Potassium171 mg3.5%Minerals
Calcium5 mg0.5%Copper0.148 mg16%Iron0.31 mg4%Magnesium10 mg2.5%Manganese0.055 mg2.5%Phosphorus31 mg4.5%Selenium0.6 µg1%Zinc0.07 mg0.5%Phyto-nutrients
Carotene-ß0 µg—Crypto-xanthin-ß0 µg—Lutein-zeaxanthin0 µg—Usually, litchis are eaten on their own, with their shell and seed removed. But their sweet taste makes them a great addition to smoothies, salads, and desserts.
Make a refreshing summer drink by adding litchi to the classic lemonade.
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Caution
Litchis have a high sugar content, which is why diabetics should have them in moderation. There are no other known side effects, but they might cause allergic reactions in some people (13).
Lychee fruits are so delicious that people don’t need to be prompted to include it in their diets. Do you know any other benefits of lychee? Tell us about it in the comments section below.