Lychee is the sole member of the genus Litchi in the soapberry family. It is a tropical and subtropical fruit tree native to China, and now cultivated in many parts of the world. The fruit has a pleasant floral taste and is very sweet. The lychee fruit is about 1 and a half to 2 inches in size, oval to rounded heart shape and the bumpy skin is red in color. Once you peel the skin off, the crisp juicy flesh of a lychee fruit is white or pinkish, translucent and glossy like the consistency of a grape, but the taste is sweeter. Lychee is cultivated and are extensively grown in China. Lychees are commonly sold fresh in Asian markets, and in recent years, also widely in supermarkets worldwide. The red rind turns dark brown when the fruit is refrigerated, but the taste is not affected. It is also sold canned year-round. The fruit can be dried with the rind intact, at which point the flesh shrinks and darkens. The lychee contains on average a total 72mg of Vitamin C per100 grams of fruit. Lychees are low in saturated fat and sodium and are cholestrol free. Most of the energy in a lychee is in the form of carbohydrate (sugar). Lychees are high in polyphenols, containing 15% more than grapes.

Health and Nutritional Benefits of Lychee: It helps in increasing the energy of the body. It increases fluid in the body, which are required for good health. It enhances the feeling of well being. It is extremely rich in Vitamin C and contains approximately 40 percent more Vitamin C than orange. It even has high levels of Beta carotene, greater than that found in carrots. It is considered diuretic and digestive. It even helps to prevent blood clots, severe cell damage and reduces strokes.

Medicinal Uses: Ingested in moderate amounts, the lychee is said to relieve coughing and to have a beneficial effect on gastralgia, tumors and enlargements of the glands.