Nutritional facts about the Lychee

The tree from which is native to the lowland province of Guangdong and Fujian, in the subtropical zone of southern China, where the harvest is carried out since 2000 BC, although the first written reference dates from 1000 BC, during Han dynasty

From there it spread its cultivation in India, Japan, Syria and the Mediterranean area.

In its country of origin, its name can be translated as "dispenser of joy of living."

The first news of this fruit in the Western world are caused by the clergyman and writer Juan González Mendoza, Philip II sent to China in the sixteenth century.

In the United States is introduced in 1883.

From the second half of the twentieth century is gradually introduced in Brazil, Honduras, West Indies, Africa, New Zealand, Japan, Australia and Madagascar.

Introduced in Spain near Malaga in 1996.

The litchiLa (Litchi chinensis Sonn L) belongs to the Sapindaceae family.

The lychee is a majestic evergreen tree, often reaching 12 to 20 feet tall and produce a year between 100 and 150 kg of fruit.

It has a low-branched tree, straight, rough, dark brown crust and a dense, rounded crown. Its leaves are smooth, bright green above and glaucous below, often alternate pinnate petioled and evenly. The flowers are white or yellowish green.

The lychee is a fruit very small (3 to 4 cm in diameter and weighing approximately 20 grams), oval and completely covers the pulp a large seed, hard smooth brown inedible. Its appearance is similar to strawberry. It is bright red and sometimes even yellow, covered with small warts. Its flesh is white or cream glazed very juicy, sweet and exotic, reminiscent of grapes and a certain scent of roses.

The different commercial varieties of litchi are classified by several agronomic traits: harvest time, the type of tree growth and fruit characteristics. Among the most important are the following:

Bengal: early variety, with a heart-shaped fruit of about 20 g, bright red and of good quality.

Brewster: an early variety, elliptical fruit about 19 g, bright red and acceptable quality, although sour taste.

Floridian: similar to above but its fruits are smaller.

Haak Yip: ovoid fruit 17 g, red skin matte and very good quality.

May Kway Pink: round-shaped fruit of about 22 g, color pink.

No Mai Chee Late: heart-shaped fruit, varying in color from yellow to bright red. It presents an excellent quality.

Salanthiel: ovoid fruits of 15-18 g. Thick skin yellow to deep red. The taste very good.

Tai so: is early production, heart-shaped ovoid fruit about 24 g. The skin color is bright red but darkens at maturity, acid-sweet flavor.

Wai Chee: very late variety, of something small, round fruit about 17 g, which turns red when ripe with a yellow tinge of sweetness.

The lychee is a food very rich in water (80% weight), this makes it a little energy food. So much so that 100 g of edible substance provided only 66 Kcal.

This fruit is low in protein (100 g of edible substances account for only 0.9 g) and -0.3 g fat per 100 g edible portion-(cholesterol, 0.1 g, saturated fat, 0.1 g, monounsaturated fat, and 0.1 g polyunsaturated fat).

Noted for its contribution in carbohydrates (ranges from 14.30 to 16.80 grams per 100 grams of edible portion).

According to chemical analysis conducted in China, India and the Philippines is your fiber intake from 0.23 to 0.4 grams per 100 grams of edible portion.

In terms of vitamin contribution stands out as a good source of vitamin C (24-60 mg per 100 grams of edible portion), also contributing to a lesser extent other water-soluble B-complex vitamins, including folic acid.

This fruit is also a source of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, phosphorus, chlorine, potassium, zinc and especially (170 mg per 100 grams of edible portion).