Everything You Need To Know About Lychee Fruit

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Satisfy your inner child and go grab some alligator strawberries, or if you're a little older at heart, lychees — or if you're a little more scientific at heart, Litchi chinensis. These bright little fruits are a sweet treat alone and a wonderfully complex ingredient to make use of with others.

Their pinkish-red durable peel hides scotch-white juicy flesh, which itself surrounds a waxy long brown pit. Lychee (pronounced "lie-chee" or "lee-chee") is noted for not only its taste and versatility, but for its aesthetic; the ruby fruit is certainly memorable with its textured covering. According to American botanist Walter T. Swingle, the very first published work documenting the different varieties of lychee dates back over some 1,200 years to 11th-century China (via The Lychee Biotechnology). 

Spelled lychee, litchi, or lichi, this fruit has found its way all around the world, featuring in both savory and sweet dishes; and as its popularity grows, so, too, do the amount of questions about it. So let's dig a little deeper and uncover what we can of these little red rubies.

Although lychee fruit may look like round, hard-shelled strawberries they actually come from the soapberry family, along with their more flamboyant-looking cousins, rambutans. Lychee fruit is categorized as a drupe, which is also known as stone fruit. Stone fruits get their name from having one large pit at the center, resembling a small stone, instead of tiny edible seeds like most fruit. Familiar stone fruits include peaches, cherries, apricots, and even cashews (yes, these are a fruit). Stone fruits are known for their fleshy interiors and honey-like sweet flavoring. And in these departments, lychee does not disappoint.

Although we often see just a few varieties grown in the U.S. there are dozens of variations including the No Mai Tsze, which is crispier on the inside and well-loved among lychee fanatics. Other notable varieties include Maritius, Hak Ip's smaller pit, Seymor, and Garnet.

Each variety varies ever so slightly in appearance, some having more prominent bumpy skin, while others have a more oblong shape. In addition, their flavors are slightly distinctive, like those of apple varieties. Some are tarter while others are milder and sweet with stronger floral notes.

If you're looking for fresh, rich lychee fruit, you'll need to wait until the summer ⁠— usually about May to September in the U.S. As recently as 2014, outlets such as ABC News were reporting you could only buy lychee in Asian supermarkets. Luckily, that's no longer true. 

The fruit is becoming increasingly available at many national U.S. chains. Recently, this summer fruit has officially arrived at Trader Joe's and other specialty shops, which regularly offer it alongside other warm weather produce. And if fresh lychee hasn't reached your local grocery yet, you can find it through local farms or Amazon. Additionally, canned or dried ("nut") versions are available year-round.

It's essential that you know what to look for when buying lychee. Pick ripe fruit since they don't ripen once plucked from the tree. Also, too many underripe lychees can be dangerous to eat because they have higher levels of toxins before they're fully ripe. So, what do ripe lychees look and smell like? The fruit should have a floral scent and should be brightly colored. They should be bigger than 1 inch and give a tiny bit when you pinch them. Don't buy the lychees if they are split or oozing. 

While it's incredibly convenient to chomp right into a peach, pear, or apple, which is self-contained in edible wrapping (its own skin), lychee fruit doesn't have such convenience. Instead, you can think of it like an orange or banana. Yes, you have to peel away the outer layer, but the inside is uber-protected from damage, chemicals, and bacteria. Luckily, the shell isn't very appealing anyway and can be described as looking like a tough, round, bumpy ball. 

Although the shell looks rather intimidating to crack into, you can simply remove it by peeling it away with your fingers. Start by pulling out where the stem meets the fruit, and chip away from there. Unlike a banana or clementine, the outer layer is likely to crack into pieces, so try to open it over a surface to catch all the little bits that fall off. You can also open it by using a sharp knife and making a shallow incision around the circumference. Then, pull it apart to remove the outer shell. Don't forget about the pit in the middle! We can assure you that your teeth would lose that battle.

The lychee fruit (or pulp) may be delicious but the seeds or pits should not be consumed, as they contain certain chemical compounds that in large doses and in unhealthy bodies can be damaging. A 2014 study, published in the peer-reviewed journal The Lancet, linked large amounts of lychee consumption in malnourished children in India and Vietnam with encephalopathy, resulting in symptoms like seizures and loss in some brain functions. It is worth noting that these were niche cases in malnourished children and normal lychee consumption in healthy children and adults is completely safe.  

Nutritionally, lychees actually provide many of the same health benefits as fruits such as strawberries and blueberries. According to Harvard Health, daily servings of fruits and vegetables have been found to drastically reduce risks of death from various health issues, meaning eating lychee is not only a tasty treat but could prove a lifesaving survival strategy. WebMD, meanwhile, states that lychees are high in antioxidants and vitamin C — essential nutrients for a healthy body; so no matter who you are at heart, grabbing some little alligator strawberries will help it pump a little cleaner.

Lychee and rambutan are related — they're in the same botanical family, Sapindaceae. So it can be difficult to tell them apart, especially once the fruit has been peeled. Even still, lychee and rambutan are different, with some very key separations between the two fruits. Rambutans (Nephelium lappaceum) are bigger than lychees (Litchi chinensis), but probably the most significant difference is the spiky-looking hair covering the rambutan. Rambutans sort of resembles little Koosh balls or sea anemones. 

Rambutan and lychee are both high in vitamin C and should be peeled before you enjoy them. As with lychee, you don't want to eat the rambutan seeds. Regarding taste, rambutans are creamier and don't have the same floral flavor lychees do. But, you can eat the flesh the way you would eat lychees. They are different fruits for all their similarities, and they both deserve a spot on your table.

The intensity of sweetness and flavor of fruit entirely depends on when it's picked, and when it's consumed during the ripening process. Ever bite into an underripe mango or banana and question why anyone would each such a tart fruit? Well, the same goes for lychee, so it's important to choose ripe fruit, especially if it's your first time eating them. We wouldn't want the experience to leave a bad taste in your mouth, after all.

Once picked, lychee fruit can remain fresh for up to 30 days if kept refrigerated, but its bright red color tends to fade around day 10. This gives suppliers plenty of time to ship it all over the country for consumers. In the U.S., you'll likely find ripe lychee in stores between August and November, as this is when they tend to reach maturity and are ready for harvest. Ripe lychee can be identified by its bright red skin. If you're seeing spots of green, then it's likely the fruit was picked prematurely. In fact, you should run for the hills because unripe lychee can be dangerous by causing extremely low blood sugar if consumed.

Although we can't always get our hands on fresh, tropical, and unique fruit, that doesn't mean you have to give up your hopes of tasting lychee fruit altogether. And while fresh is usually best when it comes to trying a new food for the first time, we're making an exception.

Canned lychee can often be found in the Asian section of the grocery store or at any South Asian market. Because lychee holds its form beautifully, the texture of canned or fresh lychee doesn't vary terribly. It's often in heavy lychee syrup, which can be used on its own in a number of ways. In fact, lychee syrup is quite desirable and has a sweet, honey-like flavor. It can be used to sweeten teas, over baked goods, alongside fruit, or even drizzled over ice cream. 

Really, lychee syrup can be used as a sweetener in any recipe and won't overpower the original flavorings. Consider buying canned lychee to take advantage of not only the dense, fruity pearls of fruit but of the sticky sweet syrup as well.

Although you may not be entirely prepared to pair lychee fruit with meat, there's one thing for sure that goes well with just about any fruit, and that's booze. Consider making lychee cocktails when lychees come into season or use canned lychee to make floral-sweet drinks all year round. They can be frozen and blended into tropical cocktails, or used as a garnish in anything from martinis to gimlets. Use the syrup from canned lychee to sweeten drinks of any kind, whether it's the featured flavor or not. 

If you're new to the fruit, try a classic lychee martini and keep things simple with lychee syrup, vodka, gin, and ice. For your spooky Halloween party, use lychee stuffed with blueberries and dabbed with red dye in your cauldron of drinks. Lychee already resembles the white part of an eyeball, so you might as well lean into it and give your guests a fright.

Now that we have you reading all about lychee syrup, you may be itching to get your hands on some. But if you've opted for fresh fruit, don't fear, you can make your own and don't need to rely on the canned version. Simply bring a pot of water with granulated sugar to a boil. Once it's going, add peeled and pitted lychee fruit and let it simmer. As it cooks, the lychee will release juice, and infuse the sugar water with flavor. Boil the water down until it reaches a syrupy consistency, then pour it into a jar to cool. You can leave the lychee fruit in the jar for further infusion, but remove it before serving. Keep the liquid for up to a week in your refrigerator.

Drink lychee syrup by making a non-alcoholic fizz, boozy cocktail, sweetened iced tea, or homemade lemonade. It's thick enough to drizzle over pancakes and waffles, or even add to your sundae bar over ice cream or sorbet. Lychee syrup can be used in place of any sweetener, so let your culinary creativity run wild.

Most people can agree, there's nothing worse than a fruit salad with mushy fruits like bananas mucking up the consistency. Even worse, oxidizing apples without the balance of citrus to keep them looking fresh can be a huge culinary no-no. Luckily, there is one fruit that is not only unique but also holds its form well and doesn't go brown quickly. You guessed it, lychee fruit to the rescue.

When picking out fruit salad ingredients you should consider a variety of components. Texture, visuals, and balance of flavor are all important. Because lychee is light-colored, it tends to absorb the juice from other fruits and become almost tie-dyed, which can be quite beautiful. It's chewy enough to hold its own, and won't break down, even if cut up into pieces. Lastly, its light floral sweetness pairs with any fruit, and although it won't be the dominating flavor in the bowl, it will give your taste buds a pleasant break from any tart or overpowering fruits. Pair with tropical or stone fruits for beautiful visuals, and especially complementary flavors.