Health Benefits of Litchi (or Lychee) Fruit Juice
Litchi or Lychee fruit is a tropical fruit widely found in southern China, southern Taiwan, northern Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and the United States. Botanically, Litchi belongs to the family Sapindaceae or soapberry and named scientifically as Litchi chinensis.
Lychee fruit has a pleasant smell and sweet taste resembling a combination of strawberries, watermelon, and grapes.
Litchi has various health benefits:
- Litchi is low in calories and is rich in dietary fibre.
- Lychee fruit is a good source of Vitamin C.
- Litchi is rich in calcium, phosphorus, folate, copper and potassium.
- Lychees are high in riboflavin (or Vitamin B2) that regulates red blood cell growth and protect the body from free-radical damage.
- Niacin (or Vitamin PP) also found in litchi decreases blood levels of cholesterol and lipoprotein, which may reduce atherosclerosis.
- Litchi fruit is good for digestion. However, please note that the seed of Litchi is considered poisonous if eaten!
Best eaten when fresh, it is also popularly consumed in the juice form. It can be mixed with orange, peach or apple juice!
Frozen lychees are wonderfully refreshing and taste like a sorbet.
Lychee is used for a traditional full-bodied Chinese dessert wine made of 100% lychee fruit.