One fruit that is loved by many people in the summer is lychee. However, not everyone knows how to choose the best lychees. The following article will guide you on how to pick sweet, juicy, and fresh lychees that are not infested with worms.
How to choose sweet, worm-free lychees
Here are some tips from Vietnamnet newspaper to help you choose aromatic and high-quality lychees that are not infested with worms.
Observe the skin: The easiest way to tell if a lychee is good or not is to observe the outer skin of the fruit. When buying, you should pay attention to clusters of lychees with flexible stems and fresh leaves. These are signs that the lychees were recently harvested.
On the contrary, you should ignore clusters with wilted stems, easily breakable stems, or stems that have been exposed to sunlight for a long time, which causes them to dry out.
Good and ripe lychees will have a reddish-pink skin, and the fruits will be round and uniform. Lychees will usually be smaller than hybrid lychees (about 70% in size), while hybrid lychees are usually larger and longer, with a darker red color. Ripe lychees will have smooth husks, and the more spikes they have, the greener the fruit will taste.
Touch the fruit: The best lychees are slightly ripe. Good lychees are soft to the touch but still retain their elasticity. If the lychee is too soft and lacks elasticity, it means it is overripe and won’t taste good.
Smell the aroma: Although the aroma may not be strong, lychees still have a distinctive smell. Fresh and good lychees will have a light pleasant fragrance. If you smell a lychee that has a sour, fermented, or strange smell, it is not recommended to choose it as it may be spoiled or too old.
Separate the flesh and examine the seeds: After peeling off the skin, slowly separate the lychee flesh to examine the seed. Good lychee flesh will be soft, white, juicy, and when freshly peeled, will release a slight sweet aroma. The flesh will be thick and easily separated from the seed. The seeds should be small. If the flesh is difficult to separate, the seeds are large, the flesh is mushy, lacks aroma, or has a strange smell, it is not recommended to choose it.
Taste the flavor: When buying, you can peel 1-2 lychees to taste. Good lychees should have a sweet taste and a distinctive aroma. Lychees have thicker flesh, smaller seeds, and sweeter taste compared to hybrid lychees.
How to choose good dried lychees: If you don’t have the opportunity to eat fresh lychees, you can also refer to some tips for choosing good dried lychees. Good dried lychees have evenly dry outer skin, retain their shape, or only slightly wrinkled, and the stems are not infested with worms. When peeled, the flesh should be fragrant, flexible, not sticky, and have a deep reddish color. Black flesh means that the lychee has been burnt during the drying process. Light brown flesh indicates that the lychee has not been dried enough, and this type is only suitable for immediate consumption in a short period of time.
The nutritional value of lychees for health
According to Dr. Ta Tung Duy, from Vietnam Applied Medical Institute, lychee is composed mainly of water (82%) and carbohydrates (16.5%). In 100 grams of fresh lychee, the nutritional content is as follows: Calories: 66; Carbohydrates: 16.5 grams; Protein: 0.8 grams; Sugar: 15.2 grams; Fat: 0.4 grams; Fiber: 1.3 grams.
Lychees are rich in vitamins and minerals, including:
Vitamin C: This is considered to be the most abundant vitamin in lychee fruit. It is estimated that one lychee will provide about 9% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) for vitamin C.
Potassium: Lychees contain a high amount of potassium, which can effectively improve cardiovascular health.
Copper: Lychee is an excellent source of copper. Copper deficiency can have negative effects on cardiovascular health.
In addition to B vitamins, C, E, K, beta-carotene, lychees also contain epicatechin and rutin. These components contribute to the prevention of chronic diseases, anti-inflammatory effects, blood pressure control, and immune system enhancement. They also improve liver function, eliminate harmful free radicals, and reduce the risk of stroke.
Furthermore, lychees contain a variety of different plant compounds with antioxidant properties. Studies have shown that the antioxidant polyphenol content in lychees is higher compared to some other common fruits.
Therefore, lychees are beneficial for digestion, high blood pressure, weight loss, and boosting the immune system. Additionally, the vitamin-rich lychees help improve the body’s resistance.
Source: vtc.vn
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