Lychee is a tasty fruit from a group of tropical fruit-bearing trees. It’s beneficial in a variety of ways. In scientific terms, lychee is known as Litchi chinensis. It is a member of the genus Litchi, a family of flowering plants. This delicious fruit is considered native to China’s Guangdong and Fujian regions. However, it can now be grown commercially and domestically all over the globe.
Its rich vitamin, mineral, and nutritional content have several positive health effects. Lychee has many health benefits, including boosting immunity, preventing cancers, increasing digestion, lowering blood pressure, aiding in weight loss, promoting circulation, protecting our skin from aging, and improving metabolic activity.
Nutritional Value of Lychee
The lychee fruit contains a variety of nutrients. It contains vitamin E, C, and Vitamin K. It has folate and vitamin B. Further, it is also rich in dietary fiber, sodium, and potassium.
These have many health benefits. Lychee contains other minerals like copper, selenium, and manganese, as well as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and iron.
1. Good for Digestive System
Lychees are high in dietary fiber, which is highly beneficial for our digestive health. Research has shown that lychee consumption in moderate amounts is beneficial for our digestive health and helps to prevent many stomach-related problems. Also, fiber is a bulky food that helps to prevent constipation.
It stimulates the production of digestive and stomach juices. Moreover, it helps in digestion and prevents a variety of digestive issues. Lychee is rich in antioxidants, which help to prevent oxidative damage and stomach-related cancers such as colon cancer.
2. Boost Immune System
Lychee is high in Vitamin C, which makes it very beneficial for our immune system. Regular consumption of Lychee will increase our immunity and help us stay healthy. Our immune systems are responsible for warding off potentially dangerous microorganisms and viruses. It also prevents us from many types of viral or bacterial diseases.
The immune system is strengthened by vitamin C because it stimulates the creation of white blood cells. Vitamin C in Lychee is an antioxidant that fights against free radicals. It also prevents oxidative damage to cells. Further, it helps prevent many diseases, such as macular and skin cancers.
3. Prevents Cancer
Lychee, as we know, is high in Vitamin C. This beneficial antioxidant can help reduce the risk of many types of cancer. It fights free radicals, stabilizes them, and prevents to cause oxidative damage. Free radicals link back to many different kinds of cancers.
The antioxidant compounds, such as proanthocyanidins and polyphenolic, are very useful in reducing the number of cancerous cells in our bodies and preventing cancer development.
4. Antiviral Benefits
Lychee has a high amount of proanthocyanidin, such as supple tannin. This antiviral compound is potent and provides antiviral benefits to our bodies. It has been shown that lychee can benefit antiviral properties and protect against various antiviral diseases like coxsackievirus and herpes simplex virus.
5. Prevents High Blood Pressure
It can lower blood pressure and prevent hypertension. It is because of the high potassium concentration. Also, the best thing about Lychee, though, is the low sodium content.
It relieves pressure on the cardiovascular system and promotes unimpeded blood flow through the arteries. In addition, it aids in the avoidance of cardiovascular disorders like heart attacks, strokes, and irregular breathing. Because of its low sodium content, people with high blood pressure can enjoy this delicious fruit.
6. Improves Blood Circulation
Lychee contains a high amount of Copper, iron, and magnesium. These minerals are vital for blood circulation and keeping us healthy. Copper, the essential mineral, is responsible for forming red blood cells in our bodies, improving blood circulation. Iron in lychee helps provide hemoglobin to blood cells.
It binds oxygen in the blood to ensure the circulation of oxygenated blood throughout the body. It also reduces the risk of anemia or other iron-related issues. Vitamin C, Magnesium, Manganese, and Folate are all in high concentrations in lychee, making it an excellent health food.
7. Prevents Cataract
Regular intake of Lychee is good for our eyes. It also reduces the likelihood of developing cataracts due to Vitamin C in Lychee.
It protects our cells from oxidative stress. Also, it helps prevent macular degeneration, the leading cause of cataract disease.
8. Anti-influenza
Lychee’s potent phenolic compounds have been linked to many significant health benefits, including anti-influenza activity and improved blood circulation.
In addition, they shield your skin from the sun’s potentially cancerous rays. Like ascorbic acid and other proanthocyanidins, it also has significant antioxidant properties.
9. Support Liver Health
The liver plays several essential functions, including detoxification and digestion. Vitamin storage is also a vital function.
Research suggests that eating lychees may help maintain a healthy liver. Studies have shown that treating lychee extract can help rodents suffering from stress- and alcohol-induced liver damage.
- Accelerate liver cell regeneration
- Reduce oxidative stress and scavenge free radicals
- Reduce the liver fat accumulation
- Improve the functioning of the mitochondria, the energy-producing component of liver cells
These findings are interesting, but it doesn’t mean eating lychees will miraculously improve your liver health. These studies were done on rodents and not humans. However, eating lots of fruits and vegetables is a good idea to support your liver health. Let’s eat lychees!