Bumpy and pulpy Leechi fruit

As the summer season comes, the clusters of lychees make their emergence on fruit carts. These days the deluxe fruit is enhancing the beauty of fruit supermarkets with the selling price as high as 200 to 300 RS per kilo. The Strawberry shaped fruit comprises of outer brittle pink coloured covering, and inside translucent edible flesh attached with an oval seed.
The flesh is sweet, delicious with unique fragrant flavour. This summer delight is full of nourishment and contains all those minerals, vitamins and antioxidants vital to keep the body healthy and strong. Due to high nutrition value, it is one of the world's super fruits.
The fruit is native to China and its cultivation and use dated as far back as 2000BC. It brought to western cultures, in the mid 1700's. From ancient times, it is a symbol of love and romance and has been regarded as "Gift for a joyful life". In ancient China, the oval seed crushed and converted in powdered form to sooth pain and swellings. Tea made from boiling its pink covering considered useful for common cold, and throat infection.
Two studies done conclude that the lychee fruit prevents the growth of cancer cells. The Zhejiang Gonshang University and the West China Hospital at Sichuan University in China conducted the studies. The flavanoids in lychee increase its effectiveness to fight breast cancer by reducing the growth of cancerous cells.
The fruit is ideal for weight conscious people because it has plenty of dietary fibers with no traces of cholesterol and saturated fats. This dietary fiber makes the eater full and controls frequent hunger. The rich fiber content of the fruit helps overcome constipation In west, pharmaceutical companies are making health supplement from an antioxidant, anti aging compound OLIGONOL. Lychee is the major fruit source of Oligonol. Scientific research reveals that Oligonol is a safe, powerful anti-oxidant that can slow down the aging process.
Its white flesh is useful for the treatment of cough and congestion. It is useful for dealing with stomach disorders such as diarrhea, nausea, and ulcer and for getting rid of intestinal worms. "It contains as much fiber as an apple, as much potassium as a banana and more Vitamin C than most citrus fruits." Its vitamin C content gives it reputation of heart diseases fighter.
Riboflavin is a useful constituent of the fruit. It is a type of B-vitamin, which combines with vitamin B6 to make the fruit useful for the production of red blood cells, maintaining nerve cell functions, releasing energy from carbohydrates and amplifying body resistance to fight diseases.
Eating lychee regularly helps regulating heart functions, and helps building of body tissues. It is said that heart patients can reduce the chances of heart attack by making the fruit part of their diet because it prevents clotting of blood. Clean and clear skin is important to reduce chances of acne and pimples production. Consuming the lychee fruit daily enhances skin beauty because the presence of vitamin E and magnesium counters the age effecting factors.
It purifies the skin from toxin matters and keeps it smooth and supple. It retains moister, improves skin tone and gives the skin a glowing appearance. In western countries, soap is prepared from honey and lychee for skin care. Its regular use controls diabetics. Presence of fatty acids makes the fruit useful for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins in the body. The juicy flesh of the lychee is a safeguard from dehydration during hot summer days.
Many people boost their body energy from unhealthy fizzy drinks. The ingredients found in energy drinks are harmful for our body health. The fresh pulp of lychee is a great source of energy provider. It increases the energy level of body and its sweet flavour has mood booster quality. It perks up fluid content of the body. The fruit loaded with calcium, phosphorus and magnesium minerals. These minerals are important for healthy and strong bones. Presence of magnesium prevents calcium from staying in arteries thus keeps the heart healthy.
Lychee lovers, enjoy the fruit in different ways, some add the slices on top of salad dressings. The fruit gives exuberant taste with cream cheese or with whipped cream. A delicious way of serving the fruit is layering the slices with pistachio ice cream, with toping of whipped cream. Blending yogurt, few cardamom seeds, lychee slices and sugar to taste gives a tempting summer fruit drink.
Bakery chefs make delicious desserts from lychee. For example, in New York America, tempting lychee-strawberry torte prepares from the combination of crunchy coconut, strawberry puree, sponge cake and smooth lychee cream. In India and China, peeled, seeded lychee canned in sugar syrup with 4%tartaric acid (for the prevention from discoloration of the fruit). In china and India dries lychees export to many countries of the world. This unique fruit available for a short time period so enjoy its benefits before it fades away.