Lychee Fruit

Lychee is a tropical, fragranced fruit with a sweet taste.  The Lychee fruit is normally about 1½ to 2 inches in size. The fruit is in distinct oval, heart shape.  Lychee fruit is pink-red, roughly textured rind on the outside and juicy white on the inside with a seed. The skin of a Lychee fruit is a little bumpy and rough and you cannot eat the skin. You can peel out the the skin  eat the white juicy lychee fruit inside. The seed in the middle of the fruit lychee fruit is a big and black in color is not edible. The white part inside is very sweet and tasty. Lychee fruit is native to Asia. Lychees are primarily  grown in the native region of China, and also in some parts of South-East Asia. Recently Lychees are grown in  California, Hawaii, Texas  in Unites States.

Lychees are a rich source of Vitamin C, as well as calcium, potassium and phosphorus. Vitamin C helps the body to fight heart disease and cancer, and it  is also good for our bones, skin and tissue. Lychee also contains flavonoids in its pulp which prove very effective against breast cancer in particular.

• Lychee increases fluids in the body, and enhances the feeling of well being.
• Lychee is extremely rich in Vitamin C and contains approximately 40 percent more vitamin C than orange.
• Lychee has  high levels of Beta carotene, greater than carrots.
• Lychee is considered diuretic and digestive.
• Lychee contains unsaturated fatty acids, which helps to prevent blood clots, severe cell damage and reduces strokes, up to 50%, in heart attack patients.
• Lychee is a good source of carbohydrates and fiber.
• Eating lychee fruit is suggested as a cure for a cough, digestive complaints and even ulcers.

While picking fresh lychee, choose fruit with a bright coloring, light red to deep red, with no blemishes. The skin is naturally tough and leathery, but it should be pliable and not overly dull, dry or dark. If the fruit tastes bitter or sour, it is not ripe. Unfortunately lychees will not ripen after taken from the tree.

Fresh lychees have a short shelf life, so plan to use them as soon as possible. If you do not plan to eat all of your lychees within the next several days you can freeze them. Simply place the fruit, skin on, in a zipper bag, suck out the air, and seal. Frozen lychees are also very delicious and taste like a fine sorbet. Lychee can also be found in asian supermarkets in cans or dried or they are found in jellies, jams. Litchi "nuts" are the dried form of the fruit which look and taste much like a raisin.

Lychee are good to eat as it is itself. You can add lychees to your chicken salad, fruit salad and etc.. Lychess are used to make ice cream also. You can also make syrups and jams with lychees, One of the famous drink from lychee is Lychee Matini. Check out the video below to make Lychee Martini.