Lychee, known scientifically as Litchi chinensis, is an exotic fruit with a sweet flavor and heart shape, originating in China, but which is also grown in Brazil. This fruit is rich in phenolic compounds, such as anthocyanins and flavonoids, and in minerals such as potassium, magnesium and phosphorus and vitamin C that have antioxidant properties that help fight obesity and diabetes, in addition to protecting against cardiovascular diseases.
Despite having many health benefits, lychee can also cause side effects, especially when consumed in excess, and includes hypoglycemia in which there is a decrease in blood sugar levels. In addition, tea made from the lychee peel can cause diarrhea or abdominal pain.
Lychee can be purchased in supermarkets or grocery stores and consumed in its natural or canned form, or in teas and juices.
The main health benefits of lychee are:
1. Protects against cardiovascular disease
Because lychee is rich in flavonoids, proanthocyanidins and anthocyanins, which have a potent antioxidant effect, it helps control bad cholesterol that is responsible for forming fatty plaques in arteries, and therefore helps prevent atherosclerosis and reduce risk. cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction or stroke.
In addition, lychee helps to regulate lipid metabolism and increase levels of good cholesterol, contributing to cardiovascular health.
Lychee's magnesium and potassium also help to relax blood vessels and phenolic compounds can inhibit the activity of the angiotensin-converting enzyme, helping to control blood pressure.
2. Prevents liver disease
Lychee helps to prevent liver diseases such as fatty liver or hepatitis, for example, by containing phenolic compounds such as epicatechin and procyanidin, which have antioxidant action, which reduces the damage to liver cells caused by free radicals .
3. Fight obesity
Lychee has cyanidin in its composition, which is the pigment responsible for the reddish color of the skin, with antioxidant action, which helps to increase the burning of fats. This fruit contains no fats and is rich in fiber and water which helps in weight loss and in fighting obesity. Despite having carbohydrates, lychee has few calories and a low glycemic index, each lychee unit has approximately 6 calories, and can be consumed in weight loss diets. Check out other exotic fruits that can help with weight loss.
In addition, some studies show that lychee inhibits pancreatic enzymes responsible for the digestion of dietary fats, which reduces its absorption and the accumulation of fat in the body, and can be an important ally in the fight against obesity.
4. Helps control blood glucose
Some studies show that lychee can be an important ally in the treatment of diabetes due to phenolic compounds in its composition, such as oligonol, which act by regulating glucose metabolism and reducing insulin resistance, which helps to control sugar levels in the blood.
In addition, lychee contains hypoglycine, a substance that decreases glucose production, helping to control blood glucose.
5. Improves the appearance of the skin
Lychee has vitamin C and phenolic compounds that are antioxidants and help fight free radicals that cause skin aging. Vitamin C also acts by increasing the production of collagen which is important to combat sagging and wrinkles in the skin, improving the quality and appearance of the skin.
6. Strengthens the immune system
Lychee is rich in nutrients such as vitamins C and folate that stimulate the production of white blood cells, which are essential defense cells to prevent and fight infections and, therefore, lychee helps to strengthen the immune system.
In addition, epicatechin and proanthocyanidin also help to regulate the immune system, stimulating the production of defense cells.
7. Helps to fight cancer
Some laboratory studies using breast, liver, cervical, prostate, skin and lung cancer cells show that lychee phenolic compounds, such as flavonoids, anthocyanins and oligonol, can help to decrease proliferation and increase cell death from these types of cancer.However, studies in humans that prove this benefit are still needed.
Nutritional information table
The following table shows the nutritional composition for 100 grams of lychee.
Components
Quantity per 100 g of lychees
Calories
70 calories
Water
81.5 g
Proteins
0.9 g
Fibers
1.3 g
Fats
0.4 g
Carbohydrates
14.8 g
Vitamin B6
0.1 mg
Vitamin B2
0.07 mg
Vitamin C
58.3 mg
Niacin
0.55 mg
Riboflavin
0.06 mg
Potassium
170 mg
Phosphor
31 mg
Magnesium
9.5 mg
Calcium
5.5 mg
Iron
0.4 mg
Zinc
0.2 mg
It is important to note that to obtain all the benefits mentioned above, lychee must be part of a balanced and healthy diet.
How to consume
Lychee can be consumed in its natural or canned form, in juice or tea made from the peel, or as lychee candies.
The recommended daily allowance is about 3 to 4 fresh fruits a day, as larger than recommended amounts can greatly lower blood sugar and cause symptoms of hypoglycemia such as dizziness, confusion, fainting and even seizures.
The ideal is to consume this fruit after meals, and its consumption should be avoided in the morning.
Healthy Lychee Recipes
Some recipes with lychee are easy, tasty and quick to prepare:
Lychee tea
Ingredients
- 4 lychee peels;
- 1 cup of boiling water.
Preparation mode
Put the lychee peels to dry in the sun for a day. After drying, boil the water and pour over the lychee peels. Cover and let stand for 3 minutes. Drink then. This tea can be consumed a maximum of 3 times a day, as it can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea and increased symptoms of autoimmune diseases by activating the immune system.
Lychee Juice
Ingredients
- 3 peeled lychees;
- 5 mint leaves;
- 1 glass of filtered water;
- Ice to taste.
Preparation mode
Remove the pulp from the lychee which is the white part of the fruit. Put all the ingredients in the blender and beat. Serve next.
Stuffed lychee
Ingredients
- 1 box of fresh lychee or 1 jar of pickled lychee;
- 120 g of cream cheese;
- 5 cashew nuts.
Preparation mode
Peel the lychees, wash and let dry. Place the cream cheese on top of the lychees with a spoon or a pastry bag. Beat the cashew nuts in a processor or grate the chestnuts and throw them over the lychees. Serve next. It is important not to consume more than 4 units of stuffed lychee per day.
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Bibliography
- IBRAHIM, Sabrin R. M .; MOHAMED, Gamal A. Litchi chinensis: medicinal uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacology. J Ethnopharmacol. 174. 492-513, 2015
- EMANUELE, Sonia; et al. Litchi chinensis as a Functional Food and a Source of Antitumor Compounds: An Overview and a Description of Biochemical Pathways. Nutrients. 9. 9; 1-15, 2017
- ZHAO, Lei; et al. Nutrient components, health benefits, and safety of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.): A review. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 19. 4; 2139-2163, 2020
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