Longan, also known as dragon's eye in Chinese, is a tropical fruit in the soapberry family alongside rambutan and lychee. They have an astringent bark-like skin with a creamy white flesh that is sweet, succulent, and savory with a pleasant melon-like aroma.
longan is commonly known as the commercial longan. The word 'longan' or 'long yan' or 'lungngan' comes from the Chinese and literally means 'dragon-eye' which is an apt description of the fruit after the skin has been removed.
The taste is different from lychees; while longan has a drier sweetness similar to dates, lychees are often messily juicy with a more tropical, grape-like sour sweetness. Dried longan are often used in Chinese cuisine and Chinese sweet dessert soups.
Health Benefits of Longan
Like many fruits, they boasts a good amount of Vitamin C. It is low in calories and carbohydrates and high in potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus.
The longan are small, tan colored delicacies that, when cracked open, reveal the most amazingly sweet flesh with a black seed shining through—the dragon's eye. Discard the shell and pit and you have a gourmet experience you won't soon forget. They are syrupy sweet with a tropical honey-like flavor, not unlike a melon.
This fruit contains high levels of vitamin C that boosts immunity and helps you stay healthy. More Vitamin C means that your body is capable of fighting deadly infections that you might be prone to. All you need to do is to consume 1 cup (200 grams) of this fruit every day and stay healthy.
Yes, dragon fruit can be eaten everyday as it is full of vitamins and minerals. However, do not go overboard as it is high in fiber. Introducing high fiber suddenly into your diet can cause flatulence, bloating, and diarrhea.
The thin yellow-brown skin encloses a translucent white pulp surrounding a single dark seed, hence the name "Dragon's Eye." Native to Asia, longan was introduced here in the early 1900s and is grown in Hawai'i, California, and South Florida.
Lychees are a small fruit that is closely related to longan and rambutan.
Longan, also known as dragon's eye in Chinese, is a tropical fruit in the soapberry family alongside rambutan and lychee. They have an astringent bark-like skin with a creamy white flesh that is sweet, succulent, and savory with a pleasant melon-like aroma.
In Southeast Asia, mangosteen is commonly known as the "Queen of Fruit", and is frequently paired with durian, the "King of Fruit".
Ironically, though, the dragon fruit has no real Chinese connections other than its English language name. An Asian favorite, the fruit is native to Mexico and to South and Central America, and is widely grown in sub-tropical regions of Southeast Asia, the United States, the Caribbean and Australia.
Dragon fruit is high in vitamin C and other antioxidants, which are good for your immune system. It can boost your iron levels. Iron is important for moving oxygen through your body and giving you energy, and dragon fruit has iron.
Sugar Content
One serving of dragon fruit provides about 8-9 grams of sugar. It is less than many other tropical fruits. Besides, a low GI score of 48-52 is ideal for a diabetes management diet. The above benefits make dragon fruit a low-calorie and nutrient-dense fruit for diabetes.
Some people might be allergic to dragon fruit. Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if dragon fruit is safe when used in medicinal amounts when pregnant or breast feeding. Stay on the safe side and stick to food amounts. Diabetes: Dragon fruit might lower blood sugar levels.
While morning is considered to be the best time to consume fruits as the digestive system breaks down the fruit sugar quickly and provides it with all the nutrients, the dragon fruit can be had as a mid meal or in the night, too. In fact, when had at night, it helps induce better sleep, Bakshi noted.
Dragon fruit can be considered as a superfood, being low in calories but high in fibre, antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals, and containing healthy fatty acids and probiotics.
Traditionally consumed to treat anxiety and insomnia, Longan may have stress-relieving properties and is found to improve sleep duration. Rich in potassium, which controls blood pressure, Longan may reduce anxiety or stress and improve quality of sleep.