Lovely lychees – how healthy is the fruit of love?

They’re small, sweet and somehow really mysterious. Lychees probably aren’t an everyday item in your fruit basket. Nevertheless, the “fruit of love” is a real eye-catcher. But how healthy is this cute little fruit really? If you are a lychee fan, read on to find out all you need to know about your pink darlings!

Interesting profile: meet the lychee!

Lychees, which measure around 4 cm in size, originate from southern China, where they were eaten as far back as 2,000 years ago. And because lychees are seen as a symbol of love in China, they are popularly known as the “fruit of love”. They are now also cultivated in India, Thailand, Madagascar, the USA and Brazil. This oval-shaped little fruit, whose colour varies from pink to tawny, grows on fragrant trees.

Removing the rough, nubbly skin of the lychee reveals a juicy and wonderfully sweet and sour fruit flesh, which has a delicate smell, reminiscent of jelly. However, the stone is not edible. Tip: When buying lychees, ensure they have a richly coloured and undamaged skin. And how are lychees eaten? Freshly peeled, they make a tasty snack all on their own. You can also enjoy them together with other berries and fruit in a fruit salad. They provide a sweet contrast to savoury dishes containing ham, chicken or fish. Some real hidden gems include curries with lychees, salads with lychees or baked lychees in batter.

To keep them nice and fresh, lychees can be easily stored for up to three weeks in a plastic bag in the refrigerator or for up to six months in the freezer. If you are doing this, it’s best to peel them first and remove the stone.

Checked: how healthy are lychees?

Even they aren’t among the “mainstream” fruit varieties, it’s worth giving lychees a try every now and then. This delicious little fruit is a solid source of vitamins and minerals. Its vitamin C content, in particular, is impressive: 100 g of lychee contains almost 40 mg of vitamin C, a true multi-tasker. Among other things, it fights free radicals, helps to stimulate collagen production, improves the absorption of iron from food and benefits the immune system. Lychees also score highly when it comes to vitamin B, which promotes cell division and energy metabolism, and copper, which helps to build bones, skin and hair. It is also a good source of potassium, phosphorous, magnesium and iron. Lychees are also easy to digest.

A true revelation in pink!