5 benefits of lychee for pregnant women not everyone knows

The benefits of lychee fruit have been proven by many studies. However, if you are pregnant, it is best to eat only a sufficient amount because eating too many of these fruits can affect the health of you and your baby in the belly.

Is it safe to eat litchi during pregnancy?

The answer is "Yes" if you eat in moderation. Litchi contains a lot of vitamin C , potassium, antioxidants beneficial for pregnant women. However, before eating, you should still consult your doctor about the amount to eat because if you eat too much, it can affect your baby in the belly.

The benefits of lychee fruit for pregnant women

Here are the health benefits of eating litchi during pregnancy:

1. Strengthen the immune system

Litchi fruit contains high levels of vitamin C, which helps to strengthen the immune system . Therefore, eating litchi can protect you from infections and some common diseases during pregnancy.

2. Litchi fruit benefits: liquid balance

The abundant potassium in lychee fruit can help maintain sodium and fluid levels in the body for electrolyte balance. In addition, this nutrient also helps maintain normal blood pressure, reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke .

3. Aids in digestion

Litchi is rich in fiber, which improves digestion and prevents constipation .

4. Litchi fruit benefits: good for the skin

Litchi is rich in antioxidants , so eating a lot of lychee will help fight free radicals, prevent oxidative damage, and help nourish white and smooth skin. Therefore, if you want healthy skin, add litchi to your diet.

5. Rich in polyphenols

Litchi fruit contains a large amount of polyphenols (a powerful antioxidant), which helps balance body weight and treat liver damage. In addition, this substance also helps prevent type 2 diabetes .

Nutritional composition of litchi fruit

Nutritional ingredients in 100g fresh lychee fruit:

Water: 81.76g

Calories: 66kcal

Starch: 16.53g

Protein: 0.83g

Fiber: 1.3g

Fat: 0.44g

Sugar: 15.23g

Vitamin C: 71.5mg

Vitamin B1: 0.011mg

Vitamin B2: 0.065mg

Vitamin B3: 0.603mg

Vitamin B9: 14mcg

Vitamin E: 0.07mg

Potassium: 171mg

Sodium: 1mg

Calcium: 5mg

Iron: 0.31mg

Magnesium: 10mg

Zinc: 0.07mg

Phosphorus: 31mg

Side effects can occur when eating lychees during pregnancy

When adding lychees to your diet, pay attention to the amount you eat each day. If you eat too much, not only do you not enjoy the benefits of lychee fruit, but you may also experience some of the following complications:

Litchi is a hot fruit, so if you eat too much it will cause heat in the body. This will have a negative effect on you and your baby. If you eat a lot, you may experience some symptoms such as sore throat, nosebleeds , mouth ulcers….

Besides, lychee is also a fruit that contains a lot of sugar. If you eat too much, your blood sugar spikes suddenly, increasing your risk of gestational diabetes.

Consuming too much fiber can also lower blood pressure to dangerously low levels, causing symptoms like blurred vision , dizziness, cold, nausea, shallow breathing, and fatigue.

Litchi may increase your risk of bleeding when interacting with medications such as aspirin, anticoagulants (heparin or warfarin), antiplatelet agents (clopidogrel), and NSAIDs (naproxen or ibuprofen).

Litchi can also cause bleeding when taken with herbs.

How to choose and preserve lychee fruit

Litchi fruit is commonly grown in tropical and subtropical regions. This is a seasonal fruit, usually abundant from June to August, so the litchi is often very spoiled.

When choosing to buy, you should choose fruits with bright pink peels with stalks and leaves, which have elasticity and often have a mild fragrance when picked. Do not choose soft, dull skin with dark spots or cracks.

If you want to preserve litchi for a long time, separate the pulp (litchi) and place it in the freezer of the refrigerator. However, to get the most health benefits from eating litchi, you should eat it immediately, not refrigerate.

What items can litchi be processed into?

Here are some of the dishes that you can add lychees to:

Add litchi to a pudding or smoothie.

Add litchi to salads, cereals or yogurt.

Make fresh juice or mocktail to mix with other fruits.

Used as a dessert .

frequently asked Questions

1. Is it safe to drink lychee juice during pregnancy?

You can drink lychee juice during pregnancy. However, you should choose fresh juices over canned ones to avoid consuming too much sugar.

2. Can eating lychee increase the risk of gestational diabetes?

Eating too much lychee can increase the risk of gestational diabetes because litchi is a high glycemic index (GI) food.

Just like other fruits, if you eat lychee in moderation, it is very good for the health of both mother and baby. However, before eating, you should still consult your doctor to make sure that adding litchi to your diet will not endanger you and your baby.