Are lychees dangerous for health? Here’s the truth

Litchi or lychee is one of the summer fruits that we love binge-eating during the dreadful sunny days. The juicy-water dense litchis are sweet and contain antioxidants vitamin C, vitamin B-complex, and phytonutrient flavonoids that can benefit our health. However, each year we witness several fatal cases that come from eating lychees. This raises a serious question- Are litchis or lychees dangerous for health?

Lychees are safe for consumption when taken moderately. On the other side, eating unripened lychees on an empty stomach can create havoc to the health. The green looking lychees are usually the unripe fruit that tend to contain toxins like hypoglycin A and methylene cyclopropyl glycine (MCPG).

Eating an excessive amount of lychee when it's not matured can induce nausea, vomiting, fever, seizures, and even can cause death among people with a weak immune system.

According to study, eating lychees on an empty stomach can reduce blood glucose levels. It can also cause encephalopathy, a health condition that affects the normal functioning of the brain. In the worse case, it can lead to convulsions, unconsciousness, brain coma, and even cause death among all age groups. However, malnourished people and children are more susceptible to these side effects of litchis.

By all means, lychees should be only enjoyed when fully ripe and be extra careful when feeding it to the kids. A person who’s fasting should especially avoid eating lychee. Otherwise, there’s no reason to avoid this summer delight.

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