Lychee

Animal and lab studies only

• Benefit

  Blood fat levels⁵

  In animal studies, lychee pulp phenolics lowered blood fats and raised good cholesterol.

• Open question

  Liver damage from alcohol⁶

  In animal studies, lychee pulp extract helped or worsened alcohol-related liver fat depending on the amount given.

Allergies and intolerances

These are about people with an allergy, an intolerance or coeliac disease. The signal is about the ingredient itself, and these are about the person eating it, so the signal does not count them.

• Severe allergic reaction to fruit⁴

  Lychee contains a protein that can cause a severe allergic reaction in some people.

Single cases of misuse or overdose

One person or one incident, such as an accidental overdose or a mistake in a kitchen or factory. They are real, but a single case does not show what happens at normal amounts, so the signal does not count them.

• Mouth and throat swelling²

  A man's lips and tongue swelled and he struggled to breathe 15 minutes after eating lychee.

• Fruit allergy reactions³

  A woman had serious allergic reactions after eating lychee, apple and banana, though she was not allergic to pollen or latex.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.