However, in Thailand or China, you may have come across a fruit called longan, if you have ever visited Vietnam.
Longan is a succulent white-fleshed fruit with an unsightly brown skin that grows in drooping clusters. Each small fruit is about the size of a large olive and is sometimes called a “Berry” (though not related to other berries like raspberries, blueberries, etc.). It is sold fresh, dried, or canned and is most widely available throughout tropical Asia during the warmer months.
What are the benefits of longan? As explained in more detail below, this fruit contains antioxidants and vitamin C, making it beneficial for protecting against free radical damage, signs of aging, and potential diseases. As common as a disease. This herb could provide you with multiple health benefits Iverheal 6 and Iverheal 12 to improve your immunity.
What is longan?
Longan (Dimocarpus longan) is a tropical fruit grown throughout China and Southeast Asia. The longan that grows on it is a member of the soapberry family (Sapindaceae), which includes other fruits such as lychee, rambutan, guarana, korlan, pitomba, genip, and ackee.
What does Longan taste like? He is described as having a gentle and kind nature “Musk” flavor, similar to grapes. Although it is a tropical fruit, it is not as sweet as other popular varieties such as mango, passion fruit, or pineapple.
Because there is white meat, there are few brown seeds inside, so some people say that longan has the effect of nourishing the eyes. Longan means “Dragon’s eye” in Cantonese and is still called by that name in some countries. While fresh longan is white and almost translucent, dried longan is dark brown to black.
Labels vs litchi fruit
Does the label look like lychee? These two fruits have some similarities, as they are members of the same plant family, however, they come from two different trees. Longan is said to have a drier taste similar to a date, while lychee is described as sweeter, more succulent, and slightly more tart.
Litchi (litchi chinensis), an evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia, is often eaten fresh or juiced. In terms of nutrient content, it contains a similar amount of calories, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals as longan. However, it is the larger fruit, which is why Longan has been dubbed the “Small lychee family,” as purdue university explains.
Although these two elements provide fewer nutrients and antioxidants than fruits such as berries, oranges, kiwis, or mangoes, they provide polyphenols and vitamin C. Lychee, more than longan, also provides polyphenols and vitamin C. Provides small amounts of minerals including magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus.
These two fruits are also related to rambutan, which has spiky red skin and is a rich source of fiber, manganese, and vitamin C.
Nutrition data
According to the USDA, one fresh/raw longan contains about
- 8 calories
- Grams of carbohydrates
- Less than 1 gram of protein or fat
- 3 mg vitamin c (5% dv)
After drying, it will be easier for you to eat more longan in one sitting. A 0-ounce serving contains about 80 calories and 20 grams of carbohydrates.
The most common nutrient in Langon is vitamin C, which appears to be more abundant in fresh longan than when dried in the can. In lower amounts, similar minerals such as potassium, magnesium, and b vitamins are also present. Finally, longan is an excellent source of antioxidants, as detailed below.
Health benefits
- Provides antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds
Longan contains antioxidants, including polyphenols, which are known to support health in many ways by fighting free radicals, inflammation, infection, and oxidative stress. A study published in the journal Molecules linked four types of polyphenols and flavonoids with the highest amounts in longan fruit (including seeds and skin), gallic acid, ethyl gallate, corilagin, and ellagic acid.
Other studies have determined that the fruit contains similar bioactive compounds such as anthocyanins, corilagin, methylmalonic acid, flavone glycosides, quercetin, and kaempferol. These are many of the same compounds found in healthy foods like berries, cherries, and red wine. Many studies have demonstrated that a diet rich in polyphenols from foods such as fruits and vegetables can help prevent the development of diseases of color, such as heart disease, certain types of cancer, diabetes, and liver disease. As an illustration, longan’s flavonoids and alkaloids are thought to have the potential to be developed as anti-hyperglycemic agents, helping to combat insulin resistance.
Further exploration revealed that longan has anti-inflammatory properties and can upregulate antioxidant enzymes, including catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase. The antioxidants in the longan can also help support a vulnerable system and have other anti-aging benefits, similar to preventing osteoporosis.
- Good source of vitamin c
Vitamin C contained in longan is beneficial for vulnerable systems, skin, and eye health. Although exploration of longan, especially for promoting skin and vision health, is limited, studies suggest that the fruit is rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants that may help slow the signs of aging, treat wounds, and possibly protect against evil spirits.
- Antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial products may be available
Studies have shown that the phytochemicals and polysaccharides found in longan can help improve gut health and vulnerable system functions. This means that this fruit may protect against rebellious reactions, the common slap, the flu, dark skin conditions, and possibly some forms of cancer.
Uses
Where do longans grow? According to the University of Florida, longan is adapted to tropical climates and can be grown throughout Asia, most commonly in India, Sri Lanka, upper Myanmar, northern Thailand, Cambodia, northern Vietnam, and new guinea – and both in Australia and Hawaii. , California, and south Florida in the united states. People living in China, Vietnam, and other Asian countries have eaten longan and used it hundreds of times to make medicine. In traditional Chinese medicine, longan is said to help support the functioning of the heart, order, liver, and spleen. Records indicate that li Shenzhen, a notorious traditional Chinese drug expert in the Ming dynasty, considered longan a natural liquor and called it “The king of fruits”. ”
Because fruit provides vitamin C and antioxidants, it can help protect against infection and inflammation. Longan also provides small amounts of b vitamins and can enhance the absorption of minerals such as iron, supporting high-energy situations. Other than eating the white flesh of the longan, the seeds and rind of the longan are used in other ways, similar to making sanctifying products such as soap. Longan trees are also grown for aesthetic purposes when they do not bear fruit during the colder months, similar to fruit trees. In addition, the tree can be used to make lumber for construction.
How to eat
Most people just eat the flesh of the longan, removing the seeds and skin. However, the pods and seeds are high in antioxidants. In addition to eating longan pulp, you can also consume this fruit in the form of juice, longan jelly, longan wine, and canned longan in sugar form.
Longan when freshly picked usually has a hard but thin skin that can be broken and peeled. Gently peel the berry and also try to squeeze the pulp as if breaking a nut or seed.
Look for labels in Asian or world food claims, or online. The fruits are usually packed in small flat boxes to protect them.
