What the evidence says. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive.
Nutrition per serving 1 cup, ~9 lychees (100 g)
Water81.8 g82%
Sugars15.2 g15%
Fibre1.3 g1%
Other carbs0 g0%
Protein0.8 g1%
Fat0.4 g0%
What's in one serving, by weight — average composition (USDA).One serving as % of the adult daily requirement (FDA Daily Values). The bold outer ring = 100% of a day's needs.
Lychee (Litchi chinensis) is a fruit used for high vitamin c contribution to antioxidant and immune support per serving. NutriDex grades the human evidence as Preliminary. Lychee is a sweet subtropical fruit that is an excellent source of vitamin C, providing roughly 80% of the Daily Value per ~100 g, alongside potassium, copper and flavanol-type polyphenols. The strongest human evidence comes not from the whole fruit but from Oligonol, a standardized lychee-derived oligomerized-polyphenol: randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trials report reduced abdominal visceral fat in overweight adults and improvements in liver fat fraction and gut microbiota composition in NAFLD patients, though one NAFLD RCT failed to beat placebo on its primary endpoint. These supplement doses are far more concentrated than what eating fresh fruit delivers, so the trial results should not be read as benefits of the fruit itself. Much of the remaining mechanistic and metabolic data (anti-inflammatory, anti-aging SIRT1/AMPK, renoprotective, anti-sarcopenia) comes from cell and rodent models. Large prospective cohorts show whole-fruit intake is associated with modestly lower type 2 diabetes risk, but lychee was not studied individually and fruit juice trends the opposite way. Overall, direct human evidence for fresh lychee is preliminary, with most benefit signals tied to extracts rather than the fruit as eaten.
Purported Benefits
✓High vitamin C contribution to antioxidant and immune support per serving
✓Lychee-derived polyphenol (Oligonol) reduced abdominal visceral fat in overweight adults in a randomized controlled trial
✓Litchi-derived polyphenol (Oligonol) improved liver fat (MRI-PDFF) and gut microbiota in a NAFLD trial
✓Source of potassium and copper supporting normal cardiovascular and metabolic function
✓Rich in flavanol/proanthocyanidin antioxidants studied for anti-inflammatory and metabolic effects
✓Whole-fruit consumption associated with modestly lower type 2 diabetes risk in large cohorts (lychee not studied individually)
Dosing & Compounds
Typical Dose
About 9 fresh lychees (~100 g edible flesh); Oligonol trials used 100-200 mg/day of standardized extract
Active Compounds
Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid)Flavanol monomers (epicatechin, catechin)Proanthocyanidins / oligomerized flavanols (Oligonol)Anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-glucoside, mainly in pericarp)Phenolic acids (gallic, chlorogenic acid)Flavonols (rutin, quercetin glycosides)Potassium and copper (minerals)B vitamins (B6, folate, riboflavin)Seed-borne hypoglycins (hypoglycin A, MCPG) — toxic, not a benefit
Safety & Cautions
⚠
Generally safe as a food in normal amounts. The major documented hazard is consumption of unripe lychee (especially the seed and aril) on an empty stomach: the natural toxins hypoglycin A and methylenecyclopropylglycine (MCPG) inhibit fatty-acid oxidation/gluconeogenesis and have caused fatal hypoglycemic encephalopathy outbreaks in undernourished children (Muzaffarpur, India). Eat ripe fruit, in moderation, and never let children eat large quantities of unripe lychees while fasting; ensure an evening meal. High natural sugar content warrants moderation in diabetes and weight management. Lychee allergy and oral allergy syndrome are reported. Never eat the seed. Oligonol supplements are not equivalent to the fruit; discuss high-dose polyphenol supplements with a clinician if pregnant, on anticoagulants, or managing chronic disease. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Lychee with any medicine.
Lychee is most often taken for High vitamin C contribution to antioxidant and immune support per serving, Lychee-derived polyphenol (Oligonol) reduced abdominal visceral fat in overweight adults in a randomized controlled trial, Litchi-derived polyphenol (Oligonol) improved liver fat (MRI-PDFF) and gut microbiota in a NAFLD trial, Source of potassium and copper supporting normal cardiovascular and metabolic function. Vitamin C-rich tropical fruit with polyphenol research
Does Lychee work — what does the evidence say?
Preliminary evidence. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive. Lychee is a sweet subtropical fruit that is an excellent source of vitamin C, providing roughly 80% of the Daily Value per ~100 g, alongside potassium, copper and flavanol-type polyphenols. The strongest human evidence comes not from the whole fruit but from Oligonol, a standardized lychee-derived oligomerized-polyphenol: randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trials report reduced abdominal visceral fat in overweight adults and improvements in liver fat fraction and gut microbiota composition in NAFLD patients, though one NAFLD RCT failed to beat placebo on its primary endpoint. These supplement doses are far more concentrated than what eating fresh fruit delivers, so the trial results should not be read as benefits of the fruit itself. Much of the remaining mechanistic and metabolic data (anti-inflammatory, anti-aging SIRT1/AMPK, renoprotective, anti-sarcopenia) comes from cell and rodent models. Large prospective cohorts show whole-fruit intake is associated with modestly lower type 2 diabetes risk, but lychee was not studied individually and fruit juice trends the opposite way. Overall, direct human evidence for fresh lychee is preliminary, with most benefit signals tied to extracts rather than the fruit as eaten.
What is the typical dose of Lychee?
About 9 fresh lychees (~100 g edible flesh); Oligonol trials used 100-200 mg/day of standardized extract
Is Lychee safe? Any cautions or side effects?
Generally safe as a food in normal amounts. The major documented hazard is consumption of unripe lychee (especially the seed and aril) on an empty stomach: the natural toxins hypoglycin A and methylenecyclopropylglycine (MCPG) inhibit fatty-acid oxidation/gluconeogenesis and have caused fatal hypoglycemic encephalopathy outbreaks in undernourished children (Muzaffarpur, India). Eat ripe fruit, in moderation, and never let children eat large quantities of unripe lychees while fasting; ensure an evening meal. High natural sugar content warrants moderation in diabetes and weight management. Lychee allergy and oral allergy syndrome are reported. Never eat the seed. Oligonol supplements are not equivalent to the fruit; discuss high-dose polyphenol supplements with a clinician if pregnant, on anticoagulants, or managing chronic disease.
How many studies support Lychee?
NutriDex cites 12 sources for Lychee, graded "Preliminary".
Cite this page
APA
Peh, D. (2026). Lychee (Litchi chinensis): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects & Evidence. NutriDex — The Supplement Research Compendium. Retrieved 16 Sept 2026, from https://nutridex.info/s/lychee
BibTeX
@misc{nutridex_lychee,
author = {Peh, Daryl},
title = {Lychee (Litchi chinensis): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects \& Evidence},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {NutriDex --- The Supplement Research Compendium},
url = {https://nutridex.info/s/lychee},
note = {Reviewed by Dr Daryl Peh, MBBS Singapore, MMed FM. Accessed 2026-09-16}
}
For medical claims, citing the underlying primary studies linked above is preferred. NutriDex is an educational reference, not medical advice.