Lychee
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Major Growing Areas
Lychees are evergreen trees that are extensively grown in southern China. They are categorised as subtropical fruit trees.
Varieties
There are a myriad of lychee varieties in the world. Nuomici, Guiwei, Zengcheng gualü and Feizixiao are the better known ones.
Nutritional Values
Lychees have a rich vitamin C content, even higher than that of oranges and strawberries.
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Per 100 g
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| Energy |
66 kcal
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| Sugar |
15.2 g
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| Vitamin C |
71.5 mg
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| Dietary Fibre |
1.3 g
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Buying Tips
It is advisable to buy vividly coloured lychees which have an even appearance and are springy to the touch. Although the fruit shell is inedible, it should still be thoroughly washed before peeling as pesticide residue can
easily build up on the rough surface. Lychees can only be kept for a short period of time so they should be consumed within 1 to 3 days.
Interesting Titbits
As the Chinese saying goes: "One lychee is equivalent to three flaming torches". It serves as a reminder that lychees should be eaten with caution and in moderation to avoid excessive intake of energy and sugar.
Besides, lychees naturally contain certain chemicals (the content of unripe lychees is higher), which inhibit the body's production of glucose. If children eat a lot of lychees on an empty stomach, the chemicals in lychees
may cause blood sugar to plummet, resulting in convulsions, coma, and even death. Children are advised not to eat lychees on an empty stomach, and they should not eat more than 5 lychees at a time.
Canned lychees are usually soaked in syrup and have a lower vitamin C content than the fresh ones. To avoid excessive intake of sugar, it is advisable to rinse canned lychees with water and consume in moderation.
One Serving of Fruit is Approximately Equivalent to:
½ bowl of lychee pulp
Remark: One bowl = 250 – 300 ml
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