What is the difference between longan and lychee

I seriously thought that Vietnam was a city in Thailand and that Mexico was super small and all the men were dark in color with sombreros. I learned later on that the grocery stores "authentic" aisle was NOT to be used as map to distinguish different countries and the people on the products were models and not to be confused with the locals. I always got to pick out my own cans. Lychees, black jello, heart of palms, thank goodness the pictures on the cans were bright and appealing.

In my teens my mom and I went to Vietnam to visit her family. During our layover in Thailand she handed me a branch of these little red balls with prickly things popping out of the skin. It was soft enough to peel. I didn't know it was a rambutan and that it was full of juice and was unsuccessful at my first attempt to try one of these little guys because the enormous amount of sticky juice tied all my fingers together. Fast forward to me finding somewhere to sit and grabbing a handful of paper towels before trying to break into one of them again.

The fruit was delicious and I quickly became a fan of the rambutan fruit. Once we got to Vietnam I saw the fresh lychees and was also introduced to the longan. All three tropical fruits are indicative of Asia. If the fruit is picked straight from the tree or purchased fresh you can visually tell them apart. All 3 have white flesh All 3 have a big seed in the middle. Lychees , rambutan and longan are all similar in nutritional content.

Like many tropical fruits, they are high in Vitamin C. Lychees are especially rich in Vitamin C, providing more than the daily recommended value in a single gram serving.

Lychees were briefly suspected of poisoning several children in India and Bangladesh, which led many news outlets to declare they could be poisonous. In these cases, children had consumed unripe lychees and suffered from a severe drop in blood sugar, followed by convulsions, fever and death. Doctors concluded that deaths occurred largely because the children were also malnourished.

Subsequent studies showed the illnesses were partially the result of illegal pesticide usage in orchards and not due only to the fruit itself. With all this in mind, health experts say ripe lychees are perfectly safe to eat, but that children and people who have low blood sugar should be careful eating too much unripe fruit. They also advise against eating the fruit immediately after fasting. Fun Facts about Lychees, Rambutans and Longans: Lychees, rambutans and longans are all members of the soapberry family Sapindaceae , which also includes the mamoncillo.

Bees living near lychee orchards make lychee honey , which shares the delicate floral flavor of the fruits. What to Look for When Buying Lychees, Rambutans and Longans When buying fresh lychees and rambutans, look for pink to red skin and fruit that feels firm but not hard.

Sustainability of Lychees, Rambutans and Longans Pesticides These three fruit varieties can suffer from a variety of insect pests, fungal diseases and other issues that may lead growers to use pesticides. Labor Like many fruit crops, lychees, rambutans and longans can be labor-intensive to harvest. Seasonality Different varieties of lychee, rambutan and longan may be available throughout the year, but the prime season for lychees and longans tends to span late spring through early fall.

Geography The lychee is native to Southeast China and Northern Vietnam , where it has been cultivated for more than 3, years. Eating Lychees, Rambutans and Longans Storing Lychees, rambutans and longans have a relatively short shelf life at room temperature. Cooking All three fruits are delicious eaten fresh, with no accompaniment. Learn How to Make Refrigerator Jams. Weird, I know. But I was intrigued.

Just the description alone was enough to spark my food curiosity and I knew right then and there that I had to make it my mission to hunt down a bag of lychees and try them. Lychee trees are evergreen, can grow up to feet tall, and they bear edible fruits. The amount of fruit a lychee tree will bear depends on its age — young trees can produce up to fruits , but older trees may produce as many as 5, fruits. Harvest season for lychee fruit spans between May and June, so you will often find lychee on the streets of Chinatown during the summer.

Lychee fruits have hard, bumpy, red-orange skin that is inedible but easily peeled away. The flesh of the lychee fruit is very juicy and slightly fragrant with a flavor that can be described as being similar to red grapes. When selecting lychee, choose the reddest fruits you can find. Luckily, lychee also keeps very well when stored in the refrigerator the skin will turn brown, but the flavor will remain unaffected , so you can purchase a large bag and keep it for several weeks without having to worry about it going bad.

In terms of nutrition, lychee is a great source of vitamin C — one serving 3. Some studies have shown that eating too many lychees in a short period of time may cause hypoglycemia or lower your blood pressure to extreme levels. Always remember to enjoy lychees in moderation! Lychees are great on their own, but if you pick up a big bag, you can try making this refreshing Lychee Sorbet. The nutritional profiles of longan and lychee are similar.

Both fruits are low in calories and carbs and have zero fat. One ounce of fresh longan has just 17 calories and 4 grams of carbs. One ounce of fresh lychee has 18 calories and 5 grams of carbs. Both dried longan and dried lychee are higher in calories and carbs than their fresh counterparts. One ounce of dried longan has 80 calories and 21 carbs. One ounce of dried lychee has 78 calories and 20 carbs.

Both longan and lychee are a good source of vitamin C. An ounce of fresh longan provides almost 40 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C, while an ounce of fresh lychee provides 33 percent.

Vitamin C is important for healthy bones, blood vessels, and skin. But lychee has a small amount of minerals, including:. Fresh lychee also provides some vitamins like niacin, vitamin B-6, and folate. Niacin may increase HDL good cholesterol levels in the body. Vitamin B-6 supports a healthy nervous system and helps your body metabolize carbs, proteins, and fats. Lychee also contains folate. However, excessive fruit intake can increase blood sugar, so people with gestational diabetes need to eat these fruits in moderation.

Lychee may help you lose body fat. According to a study , polyphenol-rich lychee extract significantly reduces body weight, abdominal circumference, and visceral fat compared to a placebo. Visceral fat is fat around your abdomen.