Lychee fruit - beneficial properties and contraindications of Chinese exotics. Dessert “Pink Dream”

Looking at the lychee fruit, you won’t immediately understand that these lumpy, spiky cones can be eaten at all. The fruit looks unusual and not entirely appetizing. In fact, it is not just edible, but very tasty and healthy. The taste of lychee will certainly surprise you, since it is not similar to any fruit or berry familiar to our area, but has notes of many of them. Interestingly, in the plant’s homeland, lychee fruits are considered an aphrodisiac. No wonder they are called the fruits of love. In ancient times, lychees were used for cooking love potions, increasing sexual desire.

What does lychee look like?

Lychee is a fruit that can hardly be confused with something else. A number of characteristic external signs make it recognizable among hundreds of exotic fruits. First of all, this is its peel. It has a pinkish-brown, reddish-orange color (depending on the variety and ripeness of the fruit). The skin is dense and lumpy, which is why the lychee looks like a cone. If you press on the fruit, you can feel that there is soft pulp under the skin. At the same time, the skin itself remains dense. The size of the fruit varies from 2.5 to 4 centimeters in length, and the weight can reach 20 – 25 grams.

Lychee fruits are called “dragon eyes” because of their appearance. Under the dense pinkish skin there is a layer of white jelly-like pulp. Inside it there is one large dark brown bone. The pulp is tightly connected to the stone and is not easy to separate. Looking at the cross-sectional photo of the fruit, you can understand why they received such a name. Lychee really looks like the eye of a mystical creature.

In addition to “dragon eyes,” lychee has several other common names. The fruit is known as Chinese plum, lychee, lixi. If the last two options can be explained by the specifics of the translation, then the fruit received the name “Chinese plum” because of its small sizes and the prevalence of trees in China.

Features of tree growth

Chinese lychees grow on tall trees (up to 30 m in height) belonging to the Sapindaceae family. The crown of the tree is formed by dense, pinnate leaves. During flowering, the tree is covered with “candles”, reminiscent of the inflorescences of the well-known chestnut tree. By the way, these trees are distant relatives.

After the inflorescences fade, fruits form in their place. They are located on the branches in clusters of 3–10 pieces. The fruits are green at first and turn red when ripe. When the fruits ripen, the lychee tree looks especially beautiful. We invite you to look at a photo of a lychee tree strewn with ripe fruits.

You can guess that the plant’s homeland is China from its name alone. But besides China, lychee grows in Thailand, India, Israel, South Africa, and the Philippines, where a subtropical climate prevails. Here giant trees are bred in industrial scale for the sake of their fruits, which are exported all over the world.

Important! For plant growth and fruiting, only a mild subtropical climate with warm summer and cool winter. The contrast of temperatures in the summer and winter seasons is necessary for abundant flowering and ovary formation.

Plants can be planted using cuttings and seeds. It is easy to germinate a lychee seed at home by deepening it into the ground and watering it regularly. But the plant will develop more slowly and, even with good care, will be able to bear fruit no earlier than 10 years from planting, while trees grown from cuttings bear fruit by the 4th year of growth. Lychee has been growing for several decades. It reaches its maximum yield by the 20th year of growth.

Note: you can often hear guesses as to whether it is a fruit or a berry. Unlike the berry, the lychee grows on a tree rather than a bush or herbaceous plant. Another argument in favor of the fact that lychee is a fruit is the presence of a large seed inside the fruit.

Taste of fruits

When trying to describe what the lychee fruit looks like, many people compare it to a grape. The consistency of the pulp is Chinese plum dense and juicy, like grapes. She has a rich sweet taste and a little tart. But the aroma of lychee is completely different, vaguely reminiscent rose jam. Some people think it's to taste exotic fruit Lychee is like a mixture of strawberry and kiwi, some manage to trace notes of apple, pineapple or raspberry in it.

Whatever the taste of lychee is, it is definitely pleasant and appeals to almost everyone who has tried the exotic fruit. The main thing is to choose ripe and fresh fruits when purchasing.

Note: the taste is unripe fruits may be sour. Ripe lychees have pink-red skin with an even tint. If it has greenish or brown spots, this may indicate that the fruit was picked from the tree before it was ripe.

Composition and beneficial properties

The health benefits of lychee are difficult to overestimate. At regular use Eating fruit improves overall health, improves mood, the body tolerates stress better, and is less susceptible to illness. When you include fruit in your diet, you can normalize your blood sugar levels.

Interestingly, lychee has a beneficial effect on male potency and female libido. Since ancient times, it has been known that lychee is a powerful aphrodisiac. Fruits improve blood circulation, add energy, and increase body tone.

One hundred grams of fruit pulp can replenish daily requirement in vitamin C. Its systematic use protects against cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Exot contains nicotinic acid and is therefore actively used in Chinese folk medicine for atherosclerosis to reduce blood cholesterol.

The pulp of the fruit contains pure water, which, in combination with vitamins and minerals, has a general strengthening effect on the human body. Eating lychee, in the absence of individual intolerance and other contraindications, is useful for both adults and children.

Vitamins

  • vitamin C – supports immunity, increases the body’s resistance to viruses and bacteria, improves the absorption of iron in the body;
  • B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B4) – necessary for normal functioning nervous system and the course of metabolic processes, help the body fight stress;
  • vitamin K – needed for normal blood clotting, reduces the likelihood of developing osteoporosis, strengthens bones;
  • vitamin E – protects cells from the harmful effects of free radicals, prevents early aging of the body, increases visual acuity, improves skin condition;
  • vitamin PP (nicotinic acid) – necessary for converting carbohydrates and fats into energy, body growth, and maintaining normal blood cholesterol levels;
  • vitamin P (rutin) - increases immunity and helps the body fight viruses and bacterial infections, has anti-allergenic and anti-inflammatory properties;

Minerals

  • potassium – necessary for muscle strength, heart and vascular health, maintaining normal blood pressure, brain activity, helps eliminate poisons and toxins from the body;
  • phosphorus - necessary for growth, without it the formation of strong teeth and bones is impossible, it is involved in the transport of ATP, the formation of DNA and RNA, regulates the production of hormones, and ensures the normal course of the digestion process;
  • magnesium – needed for normal nervous function, muscular system, brain, regulates the production of enzymes in the body;
  • calcium – ensures dental health and bone strength, nervous system excitability and muscle contractility, activates some enzymes and hormones in the body;
  • sodium - participates in enzymatic processes, promotes digestion, conducts glucose, aninone, carbon dioxide through cell membranes, prevents sun and heat stroke, improves kidney function, and prevents dehydration;
  • zinc - improves metabolism, helps reduce fatigue, removes toxins and heavy metals, prevents cell aging, has a positive effect on the condition of the skin and hair;
  • selenium - prolongs youth, prevents the formation of tumors, improves function of cardio-vascular system and thyroid gland;
  • manganese - necessary for normal brain function, functioning of the nervous system and thyroid gland, controls blood sugar levels, is involved in metabolic processes and in the formation of connective tissues.

Nutrients

  1. Proanthocyanidin – helps reduce bad cholesterol, prevents the development of type 2 diabetes, promotes weight loss, prevents cancer gastrointestinal tract and others internal organs person.
  2. Quercetin is used in alternative medicine as an antioxidant.
  3. Epicatechin – This powerful flavanol maintains vascular elasticity and improves blood circulation, reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes and cancer.
  4. Kaempferol – reduces inflammatory processes, essential for the cardiovascular system.

Can pregnant women eat lychee?

Like any fruit in your diet, lychee should not be the only one. If the expectant mother is not allergic to substances found in lychee and has no other contraindications, then optimal quantity fruits should not exceed 10 berries. This is enough to saturate the body with essential vitamins and minerals.

Since the fruit has diuretic properties, eating lychee during pregnancy helps reduce swelling, especially in the hands and feet. His sour taste can reduce attacks of nausea during toxicosis.

Lychee while breastfeeding

Not many people know that nicotinic acid contained in the exotic fruit has lactogenic properties. This happens due to an increase in prolactin, the hormone responsible for lactation. Therefore, the fruit may be useful if there is insufficient production breast milk. It is best to eat it 30-40 minutes before feeding the baby. It is important to remember that you should not exceed daily norm consumption.

Can children eat lychee?

Starting from the age of three, you can gradually introduce your child to lychee, limiting yourself to small portions to begin with. Previously, giving exotics to children was not recommended due to the high risk of allergies and eating disorders.

Contraindications and harm

Speaking of beneficial features and contraindications, it should be noted that lychee improves the digestion process and speeds up metabolism, but misuse product, it can be harmful.

First of all, people suffering from gastritis, especially the erosive form of the disease, should stop eating Chinese plums. This is the case when the benefits and harm to health may not be comparable. The pulp of the fruit contains substances that irritate the gastric mucosa, which, in the presence of inflammation, can lead to deterioration in health.

The fruit can also be harmful if consumed in combination with meat and starchy foods. In this combination, lychee is difficult to digest, which leads to bloating, intestinal cramps, heartburn, nausea and heaviness.

We must not forget that allergic reactions to exotic fruits are possible, especially in people prone to allergies. “Acquaintance” with the product should begin with small portions. First, you should eat one berry and observe the body’s reaction. If neither skin manifestations nor digestive problems appear, you can next time increase the portion to 2 - 3 fruits. By the same principle, it is worth introducing exotic fruits into the diet of children.

Important! To ensure that lychee fruits do not cause harm, but only bring benefits to the body, they must be consumed in limited quantities. The daily maximum for adults is 150–200 g, for children – 100 g of lychee. The beneficial properties of the product when consumed in moderation will be more pronounced than when overeating.

As for the use of lychee during pregnancy, the product is not classified as prohibited, but experts warn that it can cause allergies. Even to the expectant mother I really want to eat lychee, I should limit myself minimum quantity product. When including fruits in the diet of pregnant women, it is important to be especially careful about their choice.

Calories and nutritional value

The fruit is 79% water. It perfectly quenches thirst, which increases its popularity among tourists in hot countries.

But you still need to eat exotic fruits in moderation because high content sugars in the juicy lychee pulp. This should be taken into account by those who are watching their figure or trying to lose weight.

Calorie content of lychee per 100 g – from 65 kcal (276 kJ) to 76 kcal (318 kJ):

  • carbohydrates – 16.52 g
  • fats – 0.43 g
  • proteins – 0.82 g
  • water – 81.74 g
  • disaccharides – 15.22 g
  • alimentary fiber– 1.5 g
Note: despite the fact that the product has an average glycemic index(57) and satisfies well; when losing weight, eating lychees is not recommended or it is advised to limit yourself to 3 – 5 fruits per day.

In the growing countries, the harvest is harvested from July to September. To try the most delicious and useful fruits, it is better to go to China during this period. During the harvest, local markets are strewn with red fruits, and you will have to pay mere pennies for the fruit.

Lychee appears in our supermarkets in the last months of winter. As for exotics, their price is not that high. A kilogram of lychee will cost about 260 rubles.

When buying lychee in a store, you should focus on the following criteria:

  • appearance of the skin: its color should be deep pink or reddish, without violating the integrity or traces of rot;
  • the presence of a “tail”: it is better if the fruit has a petiole, even a very short one, because with it it is stored longer;
  • dull sound when shaking: if you shake a ripe fruit, you can hear a characteristic ringing sound;
  • aroma: ripe fruits have an interesting floral aroma, while spoiled ones may smell moldy or rotten.

As a rule, for export, fruits are picked from trees not fully ripe. They mature in boxes during transportation to the country of sale. It is clear that such cultivation and subsequent storage does not allow the fruits to become as tasty as sun-ripened lychees. The benefits of eating picked ahead of schedule There is also less fruit.

How to eat lychees

Looking at the strange fruit, many do not understand how to eat it correctly and which parts of the fruit are edible. Lychee retains its maximum beneficial properties if you consume the fruit in fresh. Before peeling the lychee, it doesn’t hurt to wash it under running water. Then the skin is lifted with a fingernail or the tip of a knife and removed like a film. The peel is not eaten. The exposed flesh can be eaten immediately, but you should bite the fruit carefully, as there is a hard seed inside. You can cut the fruit into pieces, thus removing the seed, or gnaw the pulp with your teeth and spit out the seed.

Important! Lychee seeds contain substances harmful to the body and should not be eaten.

It is best to consume the fruits as a dessert after the main meal, as there is a possibility of irritation of the gastric mucosa when eating the fruits on an empty stomach.

Lychee in cooking

From fresh fruits lychees are cooked fruit salads, combining them with pineapples, oranges, bananas, coconut pulp and other fruits or berries. This is a product that has a subtle pleasant taste, so it successfully complements the taste of other fruits.

The pulp of the fruit is used to make cakes and pastries, added to pies, muffins and buns, and made into jelly. The pulp is used to make a sauce that goes well with meat, chicken and fish, adding sweet and sour notes to the flavor bouquet of the dish. Chinese plums can be preserved in own juice or in sugar syrup. In this form it can be stored for 2 - 3 years. It can also be frozen to increase shelf life.

Interestingly, they make very tasty food from lychee. Chinese wine. It is kept in oak barrels, after which the drink takes on a beautiful golden color. The fruit imparts its rich sweet taste and memorable aroma to the drink.

Lychee is also used to make smoothies, alcoholic cocktails. One of them is easy to make yourself. To do this, you need to peel the exotic fruits and squeeze the juice out of them. For a liter of juice you need to take:

  • 100 ml vodka;
  • half a lime;
  • ice cubes.

The juice is mixed with vodka, lime wedges and ice are added.

Lychee fruit: composition and beneficial properties. Lychee fruit in medicine and cooking. How to eat lychees

Lychee is an unusual and even outlandish name for us, and those who hear it for the first time will not immediately think of it. tropical fruit. And this fruit, like many previously unknown fruits, is not only tasty, but also healthy.
What is lychee

What are lychees? This is the name of a tree from the Sapindaceae family: this family is very large - there are about 150 genera in it, and there are many more species - as many as 2000. The vast majority of these species grow only in the tropics: in America, Asia, Africa, but in Australia there are not so many of them .
Here we will tell you a little about the types of lychees that grow in Asia. This fruit has other names: “lisi” and “liji”, and from these names one might think that its homeland is China.
Perhaps this is so: in Ancient China, lychees were actually consumed - mentions of this are found in documents dating back to the 2nd century BC. Then the fruit came to neighboring countries, and there it was also appreciated - they began to grow it all over South-East Asia, and then on other continents.
Lychee came to Europe much later - only in the 17th century. For the first time Europeans were able to read it detailed description in the book of Gonzalez de Mendoza, a Spanish writer interested in the history of China. He wrote that lychees are similar to plums, and you can eat as many of them as you like - there will be no heaviness in your stomach. Therefore, one of the names of lychees is Chinese plum, and these fruits are grown today in many countries - even in the southern states of the USA.
Lychee fruits are small, ovoid or oval, up to 3.5 cm in diameter, and weigh - at most - about 20 grams. The peel of the fruit is dense, pimply and lumpy, rich red in color, and is separated from the pulp quite easily. The pulp in lychee fruits is very interesting - jelly-like, with a white or cream tint, and inside it there is a large brown seed. The taste of this pulp is very pleasant and refreshing - sweet and sour, and the aroma is not inferior to it - you want to inhale it again and again.

Composition and beneficial properties of lychee fruit

The Chinese often call lychee the “eye of the dragon”: white flesh, dark seed. Lychee is very rich vitamin composition and many useful properties. It contains a lot of useful clean water, quite a lot of complex carbohydrates, there are proteins, some fat and dietary fiber. The amount of sugar in lychee fruits depends on the region in which the fruits grew, as well as their variety: it can be about 6-14%.
Vitamins – C, E, H, K, group B; minerals - potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, sulfur, chlorine, phosphorus, iron, iodine, manganese, copper, zinc, fluorine. There are few calories in lychee, but more than other similar fruits - about 76 kcal per 100 grams. There is much more vitamin C in lychee than other vitamins, and potassium comes first among minerals - so lychee fruit is very useful for heart patients.
The Chinese have always believed that its use helps the heart, and today in China it is used for prevention cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerosis, as well as to reduce the level of “bad” cholesterol in the body.
Lychee has a tonic effect on the body, and in Eastern countries it is also considered strong aphrodisiac– Hindus even say that lychees are the fruit of love. It quenches thirst, relieves constipation, normalizes the functioning of the stomach and intestines, and helps to lose weight. Eating lychee is recommended for anemia, liver and pancreas diseases, gastritis, peptic ulcer and diabetes.
In combination with lemongrass and others medicinal herbs Lychee is used in China to treat cancer. Lychee peel is also used: a decoction from it helps prevent the accumulation of fluid in tissues and improves body tone.

Lychee fruit in medicine

Eastern medicine especially often uses lychees to treat diseases of the kidneys, liver and lungs - these organs are considered the main organs by Eastern specialists.
Lychee improves the functioning of the kidneys and liver, and has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the lungs: this fruit is recommended for bronchitis, asthma and tuberculosis. For diabetes, it is enough to eat 10 fruits a day to normalize blood sugar levels.

Many countries in Southeast Asia make good money by growing and selling lychees. For example, in Thailand, the share of exports of this fruit is quite large among all others: the areas where lychee grows are constantly increasing - growing lychee is profitable because it is stored for a long time and can be freely transported to other countries.
Feel real taste You can taste lychee only by trying the fresh fruit, but also dried, ice cream and even canned these fruits retain many of their beneficial properties. Frozen lychees can be stored for more than a month, and at the same time they will not lose their taste and healing qualities.
Lychees are also grown in Vietnam - in the northern regions, and are also exported to many countries around the world, including Russia.
When you buy lychees in a store, pay attention to the color of the peel of the fruit: dark peel means that this fruit was removed from the branch a long time ago, and it is tasteless and has little benefit. U fresh fruit The peel is red, soft but not too soft, and has no damage.

How to eat lychees. Lychee fruit in cooking

Eating lychees is very easy: you need to wash the fruit, remove the peel, and put the pulp on a plate. Lychee fruits can remind us of cherries in some way - the seeds are pulled out of them like seeds. You can add peeled lychee fruits to champagne - it will turn into an amazing drink.
Lychee is added to desserts and sauces, ice cream and drinks, it is used as a filling for pies, and enterprising Chinese have learned to make wine from it. Lychee goes well with fish, chicken and even pork; You can serve lychee with pates and fried foods, and it’s always good in salads.

Pancakes with fruit filling

Can cook different dishes, but we suggest you try fruit filled pancakes as a dessert. At first glance, the recipe seems somewhat exotic, but today it is not difficult to buy any fruit, so it’s worth a try - children will especially like it.
You need to take a little flour - only 150 g, one whole egg and one yolk, 300 ml of coconut milk, banana, papaya and mango - 1 piece each, passion fruit - 2 pieces, and lychee - 4 pieces. In addition, you will need lime juice, 2 tbsp. liquid honey, 3-4 fresh mint leaves, 1 tbsp. powdered sugar, a pinch of salt and vegetable oil for frying.
You need to sift the flour, add the eggs, and then gradually add coconut milk and butter, knead the dough. Cover it and leave for half an hour. Prepare fruit filling: mix peeled and chopped banana and papaya in a deep bowl, pour in lime juice, stir, add chopped mango and passion fruit, lychee and honey. From the prepared dough, bake 8-10 thin pancakes, place the filling in the center of each, roll the pancakes into a cone, place on a plate, sprinkle powdered sugar and garnish with mint.
You can also make homemade ice cream with lychee: it will resemble what you made industrially, but it will be much more useful and safer. 1 kg of lychee is peeled, cut, seeds removed, mixed with the juice of 5 lemons and ½ liter of pineapple juice. Prepare gelatin in advance: soak the plate for 10 minutes in cold water, squeeze, and then dissolve it together with sugar (250 g) in parts lemon juice, and also added to lychee. Mix everything well and put it in the freezer in a plastic container. After a few hours, the dessert is ready.
Are there any contraindications to eating lychee fruit? Surprisingly, there are practically none: lychees can be harmful only if there is an individual intolerance, but they should also not be abused - in this case allergic reactions may occur. Children can eat these pleasant-tasting fruits little by little - no more than 100 grams per day, otherwise they may develop acne on their skin. In adults, with excessive consumption of lychee, the oral mucosa suffers.
Author: Gataulina Galina

You've probably seen it on store shelves many times. unusual product, in some ways reminiscent of a strawberry. Let's tell you a secret - it's very sweet and unusual. delicious fruit. Its name is lychee. In this article we will tell you in more detail about what kind of fruit this is, where it came from and, as they say, how and with what it is eaten.

What are lychees?

As you already understand, lychee is a rather exotic variety of fruit. Where do lychees come from? And why is it called that?

Litchichinensis is the full name of the lychee fruit in Latin, which literally means “Chinese plum.” It’s not difficult to guess that this sweet and sour berry comes from China. Now the product is traveling around various countries: such as Asia, America and many others.

This fruit is the fruit of an evergreen tree that reaches incredible heights. As mentioned earlier, lychee from a distance resembles a strawberry. The weight of the fruit ranges from 15-20 grams. The fruit pulp is covered with a thin and fairly hard red-burgundy peel. The pulp of the fruit is intended for consumption. Inside the lychee there is a medium-sized seed, which is removed along with the peel.

Interesting! There is an opinion that the lychee seed is poisonous. Although Asian doctors claim that after heat treatment this poison evaporates. Nowadays, many people take out the seed of the fruit and use it to grow a house plant.

Lychee - enough sweet fruit, however, you can also detect sour notes in its taste. The fruit pulp tastes like white grapes.

Composition of lychee fruit

It is worth noting that this fruit is very beneficial for the human body.

Lychee pulp contains a large number of useful microelements and vitamins. Undoubtedly, the taste of the fruit tells us about many of them. The sweetness is acquired due to the fructose content of lychee, and the light sourness of the fruit is provided by vitamin C.

It is worth special mentioning the content of such a vitamin as PP in the fruit. In everyday language, this is nicotinic acid. How is it useful? Nicotinic acid helps to dilate our blood vessels and improve blood flow. That is why eating lychee fruit helps stimulate blood flow to certain parts of the human body. In addition to PP, lychee contains microelements such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, iodine and many other components important for the human body.

Interesting! There is an opinion that lychee fruit is an aphrodisiac and promotes sexual energy in men.

Eastern doctors claim that lychee fruit is also useful for patients diagnosed with diabetes" Lychee has a beneficial effect on stabilizing human blood sugar levels. In addition, lychee fruit is used as one of the ways to combat oncological diseases.

How do they eat lychees?

Many people get confused when they see this exotic product. There is even a misconception that peeling lychees is very difficult. In fact, there are no difficulties in peeling Chinese plums.

How to eat lychees? First of all, you should pay attention to the quality of the product. There should be no visible damage to the peel, and the fruit itself should be quite firm. Otherwise, the fruit is not worth buying.

To peel the lychee, you need to make a cut with a knife in a circle along the top and remove the “cap”. Now all that remains is to press the fruit a little so that the white pulp comes out. In this form, you can eat the berry by removing the seed.

Interesting! Many people eat lychee fruit, for example, with ice cream. In China, it is widely believed that you can not only eat it, but also drink it. The juice of the berry makes a very tasty wine.

Also use video instructions on how to properly clean and eat lychees.

Benefits of lychee fruit

As already mentioned, the fruit can normalize human blood sugar levels. In addition, lychee is useful for patients diagnosed with atherosclerosis. This product also improves performance digestive system, stimulates favorable functioning of the intestines and stomach. In general, lychee is recommended for people with cardiovascular disease. The fruit is also useful for women during breastfeeding.

Contraindications

Like all other products, the main contraindication to consuming this fruit is its individual intolerance. No special contraindications were found. But you shouldn’t neglect this. Excessive use may lead to the formation skin itching. Note that daily norm product consumption is no more than 200 grams.

Now you know everything you need to know about what the lychee fruit is! And when you see it in the store, you won’t look at it as a curiosity, but buy it right away - after all, lychee is so tasty and healthy!

Perhaps you are a fan of trying new flavors and have already enjoyed something as exotic as lychee? If not, be sure to try it.

The overseas guest will certainly amaze and appearance, and taste, and the amount of elements beneficial to the body, which will be discussed below.

Lychees, of course, are not apples. Even today you can only find it in large city supermarkets, but if you see it, don’t skimp and buy a couple of pieces to try, you should like it.

Many have not even heard of such a fruit as lychee, and even more so have no idea what to do with it after purchasing it. Externally, lychee resembles something between a rough nut or a small ball of bright red-brick color.

It's hard to choose something you've never tried, but experts advise exactly rich color fruits are riper and tastier. Lychee in its peel does not smell of anything; its aroma becomes noticeable only after removing the top inedible hard layer.

Having made a shallow cut, you will see the pulp of the fruit - a jelly-like mass of a cloudy cream color. A little unusual, but quite appetizing, especially considering the subtle pink-fruity aroma that this pulp exudes.

Then turn on taste buds: delicate sweet and sour taste, with notes of grape, citrus and mint, very refreshing and original. Inside the lychee there is a fairly large seed, reminiscent in color and shape of an acorn, which can be easily removed.

In our country, lychees will most likely be eaten exclusively fresh, in order to taste and experience the unique exotic bouquet.

But in the homeland of the fruit, in China, the fruit is as common as our plums ( lychees, by the way, are also called Chinese plum ). It is widely used in cooking and medicine. They prepare jams, desserts, compotes, tinctures, wine and much more.

Dried lychees are called nuts. The fruit does not store well - for several days, but when peeled it only lasts for a few hours.

A little history

Lychee, as already mentioned, comes from China, where it was known as far back as 2 centuries BC. Today it is cultivated not only in Chinese territories, but also in Thailand, Japan, Australia, South America, Africa.

It is believed that lychees were brought to Europe by the 17th century. They began to call him " dragon eye».

The similarity is striking if you cut the fruit in half lengthwise - the cut will exactly imitate the aforementioned eye: the dark shell of the peel, the jelly-like whitish flesh and the central oval bone - the pupil.

Every year in mid-June, the Lychee Festival is held in Thailand, during which fairs, festivities, processions and the Miss Lychee beauty contest are organized.

In our latitudes, lychees can only be grown in greenhouses or at home by germinating a seed ripe fruit. Agricultural cultivation technology is quite specific and complex, and the fruits can appear in best case scenario for 8-11 years after planting.

Chemical composition

Chemical composition will help reveal why he is so rich exotic fruit, and what value the human body can gain from its use.

The energy value of 100 g of raw fruits is no more than 65 kilocalories– an excellent diet and addition to the diet while losing weight.

Vitamins and minerals in 100 grams of lychee:
ascorbic acid – 72 mg;
folic acid(B9) – 14 mcg;
phylloquinone (K) – 0.4 μg;
vitamin PP – 0.6 mg;
choline – 7 mg;
vitamin E – 0.07 mg;
riboflavin (B2) – 0.07 mg;
pyridoxine (B6) – 0.1 mg;
protein part – 0.83 g;
fats – 0.44 g;
carbohydrates (including saccharides) – 16.5 g;
fiber – 1.3 g;
ash part – 0.44 g;
water – 81.75 g;
acids – 0.09 g;
minerals: calcium, selenium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, potassium, copper, sodium.

The rich chemical composition allows lychee to be widely used in folk medicine. Chinese and Indian healers know thousands of diseases that can be cured with the help of this amazing fruit.

Read more about what you can give to the body by consuming fresh lychees or preparations based on them.

1. Lychee copes well with coughs and inflammation of the tonsils, and vitamin C promotes a speedy recovery from colds and strengthening the body.

2. and PP are indispensable for the prevention of atherosclerosis. Nicotinic acid dilates blood vessels, improves their permeability, neutralizes cholesterol, and fights thrombosis.

3. Fruits are the strongest aphrodisiac, known to humanity for many centuries.

4. Lychee seeds effectively relieve pain from neuralgia and act as a general pain reliever.

5. Also, crushed bones restore the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

6. The fruit, which promotes weight loss and weight normalization, activates metabolic processes.

7. Chinese medicine uses lychee extract to make anti-cancer drugs.

8. Lychee stimulates hematopoietic processes.

9. Helps heart disease.

10. The fiber contained in lychee is indispensable for the proper and proper functioning of the stomach.

11. 8-10 lychee fruits can normalize blood sugar levels - fruit is good for diabetics.

12. Since lychee contains a lot of nicotinic acid, which dilates blood vessels, it is recommended to increase lactation. At the same time, do not forget about caution and moderation.

13. In oriental medicine, lychees are often used to improve the health of the kidneys, liver and lungs.

As for contraindications to consuming lychee, there are none.. A negative reaction of the body is possible only in the case of individual intolerance or exceeding reasonable standards when consuming unusual fruits.

Those with ulcers suffering from gastritis and duodenitis should try lychee carefully and a little at a time.

For everyone else, use " dragon eye“Once or twice a week does not threaten anything other than benefits and gastronomic pleasure. Be healthy.

  • Lighting: Daylight hours are approximately 12 hours. You need bright diffused light from western or eastern window sills.
  • Temperature: all year round not lower than 20˚C.
  • Watering: regular, moderate, best watered through a tray.
  • Feeding: from the second year of life - 1-2 times a month with a solution of complex mineral fertilizer in half the dosage or weak solutions of organic fertilizers.
  • Trimming: as needed at the beginning of the growing season.
  • Reproduction: at home only with seeds (seeds).
  • Pests: aphids, spider mites, thrips, whiteflies, scale insects or mealybugs.
  • Diseases: root rot.
  • Properties: The fruits of the plant are considered medicinal and are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Read more about growing lychee below.

Lychee fruit - description

Lychee is an evergreen tree with a spreading crown, in natural conditions reaching a height of 10 to 30 m. Its leaves are complex, pinnate, consisting of 4-8 lanceolate or elongated ovate leaves with a sharp tip. The surface of the leaves is glossy, dark green, and the underside is grayish. The flowers, collected in lush umbrellas up to 70 cm long, have no petals and consist of a greenish or yellowish calyx. Usually, from the numerous flowers of the inflorescence, no more than 15 ovaries develop into fruits, and the rest fall off. Lychee fruits are from 2.5 to 4 cm long and are covered in a red peel covered with numerous sharp tubercles. Inside the fruit there is a light, jelly-like sweet pulp that easily comes away from the peel and has a barely noticeable wine flavor. In the middle of the fruit there is an oval dark brown seed. In the tropics, lychee fruits ripen in May or June.

Growing lychee from seed

How to grow lychees at home.

In our latitudes, lychee is a strange plant, so it is difficult to purchase its seedlings in the garden pavilion. But you can try to grow a tree from a seed on your windowsill. To do this, you need to buy ripe (with a strong aroma, red skin and juicy translucent pulp) lychee fruits, separate the pit from the pulp, wrap the seed in a damp cloth or gauze and keep it there for a week, keeping the wrapper moist.

In the photo: Lychee tree branch with berries

The swollen seed is freed from the tissue and planted in a pot with drainage holes, on the bottom of which a layer of expanded clay is first laid, and then flower soil. The seeding depth is 2 cm. Planting several seeds will increase your chances of success. After planting, water the soil in the pot with cool water. The seed is germinated at a temperature of 25-30 ºC, and the soil should be slightly moist all the time. The appearance of sprouts can be expected in 1-4 weeks, but they may appear later.

As soon as the first reddish lychee leaves unfold, the pot is placed on a well-lit windowsill, covering the plant from direct sunlight, and at the stage of development of 4-5 true leaves, the seedlings are transplanted into a large container. Keep in mind that lychee requires twelve hours of daylight for normal development. As for the air temperature in the room, even in winter it should be at least 20 ºC.

Lychee care at home

Watering lychees.

Lychee - moisture-loving tropical plant, so the seedlings are sprayed with boiled or filtered water from a spray bottle twice a day. Watering the substrate should be regular but moderate. To moisten the substrate, water passed through a filter or left to stand for two days is also used. room temperature. The most convenient way to moisten the soil in a pot is to add water to the pan. Develop a watering regime so that the plant does not suffer from either a lack or excess of moisture in the roots, and maintain high air humidity in the room all the time.

Feeding lychee.

The first time the substrate in a pot with lychee is fertilized three months after germination, and then fertilizing is not applied until the plant is at least a year old. From the second year of life, lychees are fed 1-2 times a month with a solution of complex mineral fertilizers in moderate concentration. The plant also responds well to organic fertilizing in the form of mullein solution (1:15). Fertilizers added to the substrate promote the formation of buds and stimulate the plant to bear fruit.

Lychee pruning.

Lychee grows slowly, so it does not need frequent pruning. You will only need to form the crown of the tree in the first two years of its life, and after that maintain its shape by shortening too long shoots. Even if the tree does not bear fruit, do not be upset: after all, not every amateur gardener has such an attractive exotic plant in his home.

Pests and diseases of lychee

Lychee diseases.

Lychee at home is rarely affected by disease. Troubles with the plant can arise as a result of insufficient or improper care. For example, due to excessive watering, the roots of the plant can rot, and if there is insufficient moisture, the lychee will begin to wither and wither. Follow our recommendations, and your tree will never get sick.

In the photo: Lychee branch with berries

Lychee pests.

Lychee is also resistant to pests, but if on any indoor plants aphids, spider mites, thrips, whiteflies, scale insects or mealybugs will appear; they can also move to lychees. Therefore, regularly inspect your plant collection and at the first symptoms of infection by a particular pest, take action immediately: treat the occupied plant with a solution of an insecticidal or acaricidal preparation prepared in accordance with the instructions.

Types and varieties of lychee

Breeders have developed many varieties and hybrids of lychee, but this crop is widely grown only in Asia. The most famous cultivars of the plant are:

  • Green hanging- a tree with light green leaves, on the fruits of which a green stripe is barely noticeable. The fruits do not lose their freshness and taste qualities even three days after peeling them;
  • Sticky rice balls – the fruits of this variety have a dense and sweet pulp with the taste of honey, they have a red peel without tubercles, and the seed is much smaller than that of fruits of other varieties, or there is none at all;
  • Sweet osmanthus– a variety with sweet fruits that have the smell of osmanthus, in a bright red and very bumpy skin;
  • Green Yatu– this variety has a fruit skin covered with dark green specks;
  • black leaf – early ripening variety with fleshy fruits, the peel of which secretes juice similar to red ink;
  • May red– the earliest variety, the fruits of which are harvested in May;
  • Concubine's smile– the oldest variety of early ripening. The fruits and peel of the plant secrete red juice.

In the photo: Lychee berries – healthy fruit

Properties of lychee fruit - harm and benefit

Useful properties of lychee.

Lychee fruits contain beneficial for human body substances: vitamins E, K, C, H, PP and group B (B1, B3, B6), magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, iodine, manganese, zinc, selenium, iron, calcium, potassium, pectins and organic acids.

Eastern medicine uses lychee fruits to normalize sugar levels in diabetes, treat and prevent atherosclerosis, improve kidney, liver and lung function. People with cardiovascular diseases are advised to consume lychee fruits because they contain potassium in their pulp. The benefits of lychee for anemia have also been proven, high level cholesterol in the blood, pancreatic diseases and intestinal disorders. In Hindu medicine, lychee fruits are considered an aphrodisiac that increases sexual desire and male power.

Lychee fruit - contraindications.

Lychee fruits are contraindicated only for those who have an individual intolerance to them. They bring only benefits to everyone else, but stale fruits with dark skin can cause intestinal upset.