Nutra Allied®

Lychee Juice

Delicious and juicy lychee or "Litchi" heralds you the arrival of summer.Besides sweet and nutritious, the berries have cooling effect on the human body. Botanically, this exotic fruit belongs to the family of Sapindaceaeand named scientifically as Litchi chinensis.

Vitamins: Lychee is rich in vitamin C, which is a necessary nutrient for humans. According to the Mayo Clinic, vitamin C helps in the formation of blood vessels and the absorption of iron. It is also necessary to promote the growth of muscles, bones and cartilage. You can also use lychee as a source for some of your daily allowance of vitamins B2, or riboflavin, and B6. Such B vitamins help your body to metabolize proteins and carbohydrates and to produce antibodies. The vitamins present in lychee are necessary for maintaining a healthy immune system.

Degenerative Disease Prevention: Lychees are extremely high in a compound known as polyphenol, which is an antioxidant compound. A 2006 article in "The Journal of Nutrition" notes that polyphenol consumption has been linked to effects that protect you against degenerative maladies like cancer and cardiovascular disease. The article posits that regular consumption of fruits that are high in polyphenols, such as lychees -- which rank second overall between strawberries and grapes -- will help to prevent such diseases. The results of the study were positive, finding that polyphenols were helpful in protecting against degenerative diseases. However, no direct link between human lychee consumption and disease prevention were implied.

Potassium: Potassium, which the Mayo Clinic notes is necessary for overall good health, is also found in lychees. The mineral helps you regulate your blood pressure as well as your fluid and electrolyte levels. Without sufficient potassium, you may experience muscle weakness and fatigue, mood swings or an irregular heartbeat. After a workout, a glass of lychee juice can give you a potassium boost and help to restore your energy levels. The potassium will also help you metabolize water and electrolytes resulting in quicker hydration.

Alternative Medicine: Deborah Klein, author of "The 200 SuperFoods That Will Save Your Life," notes that practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine have prescribed lychee as a pain reliever and an aid to digestion. Klein also points out that recent Chinese university studies have shown that lychees, more specifically polyphenols from lychees, could be used to inhibit the growth of breast and liver cancer cells. Such claims have not been proved in humans. Consult your doctor before using lychee juice therapeutically.

             Lychee fruit contains 66 calories per 100 g, comparable to that in the table-grapes. It has no saturated fats or cholesterol, but composes of good amounts of dietary fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.

             Research studies suggest that oligonol, a low molecular weight polyphenol, is found abundantly in lychee fruit. Oligonol is thought to have anti-oxidant and anti-influenza virus actions. In addition, it helps improve blood flow in organs, reduce weight, and protect skin from harmful UV rays. (Takuya Sakurai (Kyorin University, Japan), Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem., 72(2), 463-476, 2008).

             Litchi, like citrus fruits, is an excellent source of vitamin C; 100 g fresh fruits provide 71.5 mg or 119% of daily-recommended value. Studies suggest that consumption of fruits rich in vitamin C helps the human body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.

             Further, it is a very good source of B-complex vitamins such as thiamin, niacin, and folates. These vitamins are essential since they function by acting as co-factors to help the body metabolize carbohydrates, protein, and fats.