The difference between longan and lychee

We also call longan drake. Longan is a common fruit. It not only has good edible value but also has high medicinal value. Longan can strengthen the spleen and stomach and replenish qi. Longan has a good effect on postpartum blood deficiency. Lychee is one of the four major fruits in the south. Lychee is also a kind of fruit. Lychee has the benefit of nourishing the brain, and eating lychees often can help stimulate the appetite.

Are longan and lychee the same thing? In fact, longan and lychee are two completely different fruits. Longan and lychee are very similar in size and appearance, and they have different health benefits and medicinal values.

Longan (Scientific name: Dimocarpus longan Lour.), also known as longan, is a large evergreen tree with a tall body. The fruits are picked when they are ripe and yellow-brown in July and August. It is a plant of the Sapindaceae family. The fruit can be eaten raw or processed into dried products. The flesh, core, skin and roots can all be used for medicinal purposes. Originally produced in southern and southwestern China, longan is cultivated in many countries and regions in the world, such as China, Thailand, Indonesia, Queensland in Australia, Hawaii and Florida in the United States, etc.

Longan can nourish the heart and spleen, replenish qi and blood, strengthen the spleen and stomach, and nourish muscles. Worrying too much can damage the spleen, causing dizziness, insomnia, palpitations, weakness, physical weakness after illness or childbirth, and bleeding due to spleen deficiency. [4] Modern medical practice has proven that it also has the effects of beautifying and prolonging life.

Lychee (scientific name: Litchi chinensis Sonn.) is native to southern China. It is a subtropical fruit tree, an evergreen tree, about 10 meters high. The fruit skin has scaly protrusions and is bright red or purple. When fresh, the flesh is translucent and creamy, and tastes delicious. But it is not resistant to storage.

Lychee, banana, pineapple and longan are known as the "Four Major Fruits of the South". Lychees are famous because Yang Guifei loved to eat them, which led Du Mu to write the famous line "A horseman rides through the red dust, and the concubine smiles, but no one knows it is the lychees coming."

Litchi is hot in nature. Eating too much of it can cause internal heat and even "litchi disease". The wood is solid, dark reddish brown, has elegant texture and is resistant to decay, and has always been considered a top-grade material.

Litchi tastes sweet, sour, and warm in nature. It enters the heart, spleen, and liver meridians. It can stop hiccups and diarrhea, and is an excellent food therapy for those with stubborn hiccups and early morning diarrhea. It also nourishes the brain and body, stimulates the appetite, and benefits the spleen, and has the effect of promoting appetite.

Litchi tastes sweet, sour and warm in nature, and enters the heart, spleen and liver meridians; the flesh has the effects of nourishing the spleen and liver, regulating qi and replenishing blood, warming the middle and relieving pain, nourishing the heart and calming the mind; the core has the effects of regulating qi, dispersing knots and relieving pain; it can stop hiccups and diarrhea, and is a good food therapy for those with stubborn hiccups and early morning diarrhea. At the same time, it has the effects of nourishing the brain and body, stimulating the appetite and benefiting the spleen, and promoting appetite.

① "Essentials of Raw Medicinal Herbs" says: Soak in water for several days and apply to sore feet.

② "Quanzhou Materia Medica": For treating ulcers behind the ear, dry it in the sun, burn it to preserve its essence, grind it into powder and mix it with tea oil, then apply it to the affected area.

Above we introduced what longan is and what lychee is. Only when we have a clear understanding of the concepts of the two can we fully understand the difference between longan and lychee. Longan and lychee are very different in appearance and taste. Longan and lychee have completely different health effects and healthcare functions, so we should treat them differently.