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Lychees are widely eaten across Asia, especially during their peak season from late May to early July. However, TCM practitioners recommend consuming them in moderation because the fruit is classified as “warm” or “heaty,” associated with the concept of yit hi (“hot air” in Cantonese), which refers to an excess of internal heat in the body.

Overeating lychees could disrupt the body’s balance and lead to inflammatory symptoms such as sore throat, mouth ulcers, acne, constipation and eczema flare-ups, the South China Morning Post quoted Karen Cheung, a registered TCM practitioner at Ayla Executive Medical in Hong Kong, as saying.

However, a lychees also offer health benefits when eaten in moderation.

Cinci Leung, a registered TCM practitioner and founder of wellness platform CheckCheckCin, said the fruit may help people who frequently feel cold or fatigued, which TCM associates with low levels of the body’s warming energy. She said it could also benefit people with poor circulation or low energy and support recovery from illness.

Cheung added that lychees were believed to nourish the blood, improve circulation and digestion, and promote the body’s flow of vital energy.

Modern research also suggests that consuming excessive amounts of lychees on an empty stomach can pose health risks. Lychees contain natural toxin methylene cyclopropyl-glycine (MCPG). According to NutritionFacts.orgMCPG can interfere with the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar and is particularly dangerous for malnourished children.

Researchers believe children with depleted energy stores are especially vulnerable because MCPG blocks the body’s ability to produce glucose, causing blood sugar levels to drop dangerously low. Symptoms of hypoglycaemia include paleness, shaking, sweating, headache, hunger, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, irregular heartbeat, and tingling around the lips or mouth.

For healthy, well-nourished adults, lychee toxicity is considered a minimal risk when the fruit is eaten in moderation. However, excessive consumption may still be harmful. Researchers also found pesticide exposure may have contributed to some of the cases.

Following public health warnings advising parents not to allow children to eat lychees on an empty stomach, such incidents have since significantly declined. The key takeaway is to avoid eating large amounts of lychees while fasting. For most people, lychees are safe when consumed in moderation. Leung suggests a daily limit of 10-15 fruits for adults and 5-10 for children.

Freshly harvested lychees during the peak of the season. Photo from Instagram

To reduce the risk of excess “heat,” Cheung recommended peeling lychees and soaking them briefly in mild salt water before eating. They can also be paired with “cooling” foods such as watermelon, pear, star fruit, mung bean soup, chrysanthemum tea, and winter melon tea. Those experiencing mouth ulcers or acne are advised to avoid eating lychees alongside spicy dishes or curries.

Fresh lychees contain more vitamin C than oranges and strawberries. Just nine fruits provide 100% of an adult’s recommended daily intake. They contain around 66 calories per 100 grams, roughly equivalent to 7-10 lychees.

Lychees do not continue to ripen after being picked, so fully red fruit is preferable, as green lychees tend to be less sweet and may contain higher levels of MCPG.

To keep them fresh, unpeeled lychees should be wrapped in paper towel and stored in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator, where they can last up to a week. At room temperature, the skin quickly turns brown within a few days.