Lychee has always been one of Xiaobian's favorite fruits, spring and summer are coming, there are many seasonal lychees on the market in supermarkets, the taste is sweet and elastic, as a daily fruit is also a good choice.
So, what is the actual nutritional value of lychee? Is it a nutritious fruit? Today, the editor will explore the nutritional knowledge about lychee together with all readers.
Let's first take a look at the basic nutritional composition of lychees. According to the article "Lychee 101: Nutritional Value and Health Benefits" on the well-known nutrition information website "Healthline" in North America, lychees (Lychees, Litchi or lichee) is a small tropical fruit of the family Lycheidae, which is the same family of fruits as rambutan and longan; In addition to being eaten as fresh fruit, it is sometimes processed into juice, cider, jelly or ice cream, among other things.
According to data released by the USDA, every 3.5 ounces (about 100 grams) of fresh lychees contains about 16.5 grams of carbohydrates, 15.2 grams of sugar, 1.3 grams of fiber, 0.8 grams of protein, 0.4 grams of fat, and about 66 calories. At the same time, in such a amount of lychee, it also contains about 71.5 mg of vitamin C, 0.1 mg of vitamin B6, and about 121 mg of potassium, 10 mg of magnesium, 0.3 mg of iron, and a small amount of vitamin B12, calcium, sodium and a series of vitamins and minerals needed by the human body.
The article also mentioned that lychee contains more water, in addition to being mainly composed of carbohydrates, most of which are sugar, which is also the source of the sweet taste of lychee, in contrast, the dietary fiber content in lychee is low; But even so, lychee has a glycemic index GI value of 50, which is still a low GI food.
So, in addition to the basic nutritional makeup, do lychees have other scientifically proven health benefits?
According to the article "What are the health benefits of fruit lychee" on the well-known North American nutrition information website "Medical NewsToday", lychee pulp contains more plant compounds for proanthocyanidins, and studies have confirmed that proanthocyanidins are high-quality antioxidants, which can help the human body to avoid oxidative stress caused by free radical molecular damage, thereby reducing the risk of some chronic diseases; In addition, there are also relevant studies that believe that anthocyanins have a certain effect on protecting human joints, increasing joint flexibility, and reducing joint effusion.
In addition, the article pointed out that lychee also contains various plant compounds such as epicatechin and rutin; In fact, researchers have found that lychees contain higher levels of antioxidant polyphenolic compounds than many other common fruits. However, the article also warns that lychee may cause allergic reactions in a few cases, and people with related concerns should choose to eat it with caution.
Writing here, Xiaobian feels that the nutritional value of lychee is still relatively good, and it can be added to our daily diet in an appropriate amount. So, today's nutrition topic about lychees is here. If you like our article, you are welcome to leave us a message. See you next time.
Resources:
1. "Litchi 101: Nutritional Value and Health Benefits" Healthline, a well-known nutrition information website in North America
Lychees 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits (healthline.com)
2. "What are the health benefits of fruit lychee" "Medical NewsToday" article
Lychee fruit: Health benefits and nutritional information (medicalnewstoday.com)