WHAT IS USEFUL FRUIT LONGAN FOR THE HUMAN BODY

Not everyone knows such an exotic fruit as longan. It grows mainly in China, but can be found in Indonesia, Taiwan, and Vietnam. In this article, we take a closer look at what is longan and how it is eaten.

Longan: what is this fruit

Longan is an exotic fruit (another name is "dragon eye"). It grows on tall trees. Fruits are clustered like grapes. The diameter of one "nut" Longan is about 2 cm.

The "dragon eye" is covered with a dense light brown skin that is easy to clean when pressed with two fingers. Inside is a transparent flesh. Her taste is sweet and specific, with a touch of musk. Before you eat longan, you need to remove the bone, as it is very solid and unsuitable for consumption.

Fruits ripen from June to August, one tree can produce about 200 kg of fruit.

Important! To transport fruit, it is necessary to harvest the crop still immature, because longan quickly deteriorates.

The caloric and chemical composition of the "dragon eye"

In Longan low calorie: 100 g of fruit contain about 60 Kcal.

In its chemical composition 100 g longan have:

water -82.8 g;
fat -0.1 g;
carbohydrate -15.1 g;
proteins -1.3 g;
fiber -1.1 g

Also fruit contains:

potassium -266 mg;
magnesium, 10 mg;
calcium -1 mg;
phosphorus -21 mg;
manganese -0.05 mg;
copper -0,2 mg;
iron -0.13 mg;
Zinc -0.05 mg.

Vitamins contained in 100 g of fruit:

C -84 mg;
B2 Riboflavin -0.1 mg;
B1 thiamine -0.04 mg;
B3 Niacin -0.3 mg.

It is interesting to read about the benefits of other exotic fruits: papaya, lychee, pineapple.

What is useful longan

The exotic longan fruit not only tastes good, but can also benefit the human body. The pulp of the fetus is used in oriental medicine for the treatment of inflammation, stomach ailments or as a febrifuge.

Thanks to the riboflavin contained in the fruit, the immunity is improved and the tone of the whole organism rises. The "dragon eye" is also used to relieve fatigue and dizziness, improve vision and concentration, normalize sleep.

Improve attention concentration contribute to periwinkle, rosemary, hamedorea, mountain woman, mushrooms.

In China, a decoction of the fruits consumed with poor metabolism and as a sedative. Powder from seeds of longan used to stop bleeding, treatment of eczema, hernias, water bodies, enlarged lymph nodes

Did you know? In Vietnam, longan seeds are used to treat a snake bite, pressing them against the wound as an antidote.

How to choose and store longan

Sold "eye of the dragon" clusters, which are collected in a small whisk. When you lift the bunch, the berries should not crumble. To select a ripe and tasty fruit you need to look at its peel. It should not be cracked or damaged.

You should not pay special attention to the color of the fruit, as it depends not on maturity, but on by grade. The most delicious fruit is the one that lay a few days after it tore.

But in appearance it is very difficult to determine. So the best choice for choosing a ripe fruit is to try it. If the flesh is slightly acidic, it means the fruit is unripe. In this case, it must be put in a warm place and wait for full maturity.

Now let's talk about how to store longan. At room temperature, the fruit lasts about three days. If you are going to keep it longer, it is best to use a refrigerator for this. There, longan will be able to withstand 5-7 days, because it tolerates low temperature very well. Due to its dense skin, the fruit can keep its shape.

How to eat longan fruit

The fruits of longan are mostly consumed fresh. They are also used for making fruit salads, desserts, or used as a decoration for cakes. In Thailand, sweet soups, snacks, seafood sauces are made from fruits. In addition, it is dried and canned. More of the "dragon's eyes" make refreshing drinks that help quench your thirst and improve your appetite.