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The luscious and flavorful litchi is the fruit to keep you refreshed in the sweltering summer heat. While water is a go-to choice for hydration, having fruits like litchis is nothing less than having a superfood. The best part, litchi is safe for both weight-watchers and people with diabetes with some moderation.
With 82 per cent water content, litchis help maintain body temperature and hydration levels. As a storehouse of vitamin C, they increase immunity and assist in collagen synthesis, plumping up your skin. Their antioxidants, like flavonoids, shield the body from stress and inflammation. They have enough fibre that helps in digestion and prevents constipation. The potassium found in litchis helps manage blood pressure and promotes heart health.
Litchis have a moderate glycaemic index of 50, which means that they do not cause rapid spikes in blood sugar but are high on fructose. So, diabetics should restrict their intake and factor them into their daily carbohydrate or calorie allowance. This means they should replace some other item of equivalent value. Even normal people can do some adjustment to avoid piling up extra sugar; drop a snack for example.
Litchis have hypoglycemic properties but with a well-balanced diet, their consumption is safe. Usually unripened litchis have a naturally occurring amino acid derivative called hypoglycin that inhibits the body’s ability to produce glucose, causing hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). So do not eat unripened litchis on an empty stomach. If you are well-fed and eating ripe litchis in moderation, there is no need to worry.
Never have them as a dessert or at the end of the meal because when the stomach is full, the juice of the fruit starts fermenting rapidly and doesn’t get absorbed. You end up losing nutrients. So have them on an empty stomach or as a snack in between meals.
Eat them in moderation, especially those watching their sugar and calorie intake.
An average adult can safely consume around 10-12 litchis a day. This will be enough to allow a person to consume enough nutrients without exceeding recommended sugar and calorie intake limits.
Weight and volume: This will be about 100-150 gm or about a cup of peeled litchi.
For diabetics: As the litchi fruit contains a high concentration of natural sugars, people with diabetes should limit themselves to a maximum of 6-8 litchis a day or about 50-75 gm.
Fresh is best: Do not consume processed or canned litchis as these are loaded with sugars and preservatives.
In smoothies: A healthy and under-rated way to have litchis would be to have them in your smoothie, so that your drink becomes more hydrating and nutritious, of course without added sugars.
In salads and desserts: You can add litchis to fruit salads or desserts to enjoy them in a light-meal fashion.
Litchis might be good for us but, as with all things, you should include them as part of a balanced diet. Eat litchis alongside other low-sugar fruits and vegetables to make sure your body gets the right balance of vitamins and minerals.
