Longan Fruit

USES

Longan fruit is often described as similar to lychee – but smaller, less acidic, and more mildly flavored. This fruit has long been used to reduce pain and swelling, break fevers, and aid digestion in traditional Chinese medicinal applications. As a bonus, it tastes good! About one-third of users find the taste of longan fruit to be at least as good, if not more pleasant and palatable, than that of similarly-effective lychee fruits, making it a better option for many people.

When eaten fresh, the flesh/skin of the longan fruit is a good source of vitamin C (with more vitamin C per fruit than fresh oranges), making it good for boosting immune system function. What’s more, fresh longan fruit is low in carbs and fat but high in natural sugars, making it a potentially adequate substitute for sweets in low-carb diets. Dried longan fruit is also a good source of iron. These nutritional values potentially explain some historical reports of its effectiveness in treating fatigue, appetite loss, dizziness, and menstrual- and postpartum-exhaustion, as well as other contemporarily-known symptoms of anemia. More recently, longan fruit oil/extract has been shown to help improve memory function, and its anti-inflammatory (including anti-rheumatic) effects have recently been empirically proven.

Longan fruit is categorized in Chinese medicine as an herb that tonifies the blood, making it useful for treating anemia. It is classified as sweet and warm, and primarily affects the Spleen and Heart channels.

PREPARATION & ADMINISTRATION

Longan fruit is most often available in fresh, canned, or dried forms. In any preparation, it is intended for ingestion, with the most common recommended administrations including eating it raw or drinking a syrup made from the fruit. Longan fruit can also be mashed, pulped, or powdered, then added to food or drink.

PRECAUTIONS

There do not appear to be any significant safety or toxicity concerns with the ingestion of longan fruit itself or its extracts. Some people report having non-life-threatening food allergies to longan fruits and associated products, so you should exercise caution when you first try longan fruit supplements, especially if you have other known allergies to soapberry-family fruits.

You should consult with a certified herbalist, physician or other qualified healthcare professional before taking longan fruit.

REFERENCES

Chen, John, Chen, T &  Cramton, L. Art of Medicine Press, Inc. City of Industry, CA USA. 2003. 1327 pp ISBN: 0-9740635-0-9 , http://aompress.com/herbolo

Hempen, Carl-Hermann, and Toni Fischer. “Tonifying Herbs.” A Materia Medica for Chinese Medicine, Churchill Livingstone, 30 Nov. 2009,

Huang, Guan-Jhong, et al. “Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Longan (Dimocarpus Longan Lour.) Pericarp.” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : ECAM, Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 2012,

Longan, https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/longan.html.

McDermott, Annette. “Longan Fruit vs. Lychee: Which Fruit Is Better?” Healthline, Healthline Media, 14 July 2017, https://www.healthline.com/health/longan-fruit-vs-lychee-benefits#uses.

Menzel, C.M. “FRUITS OF TROPICAL CLIMATES: Fruits of the Sapindaceae.” Encyclopedia of Food Sciences and Nutrition (Second Edition), Academic Press, 6 Dec. 2003,

Shahrajabian, Mohamad, et al. “Modern Pharmacological Actions of Longan Fruits and Their Usages in Traditional Herbal Remedies.” Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies, vol. 2019, no. 7, pp. 179–185

Surin, Siriluck, et al. “Effect of Extraction and Concentration Processes on Properties of Longan Syrup.” Journal of Food Science and Technology, Springer India, Sept. 2014,

Tremblay, Sylvie. “The Effects of Eating Longan Fruit.” Healthy Eating | SF Gate, 11 June 2018,

Worasuttayangkurn, Luksamee, et al. “Safety Evaluation of Longan Seed Extract: Acute and Repeated Oral Administration.” Food and Chemical Toxicology : an International Journal Published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Nov. 2012,

Yang, Bao, et al. “Extraction and Pharmacological Properties of Bioactive Compounds from Longan (Dimocarpus Longan Lour.) Fruit – A Review.” Food Research International, Elsevier, 17 Oct. 2010,