I stayed outside to read a bit more and take in the fresh air before I finally gave in to the welcoming air-conditioned house. When I went to the kitchen, I found an abundance of fruits, new and old. Idalias husband had given her about 30 mini bananas,
a bin full of leeches,
more anona
and a papaya.
I tried some of all of them. Another thing I love about This house is that its never lacking in the fruits and vegetables department.
After doing some homework, watching Friends, and playing with Ari, Estela and I decided to make dinner. Estelita is amazing, she knows how to make just about everything. We made a homemade pizza, crust and all. For the toppings, we cut up some tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, and celery. While we were preparing it, Nine and Luis Edwardo came home. Once the pizza was in the oven, I went to go sit down on the couch and Ari came over and we played and laughed and I think I'm sarting to know what it's like to have a younger sibling. Finally, the pizza was ready and we all sat down and ate, everyone loved it. It wasn't greasy or too cheesy or anything. It was perfect. So perfect that I had 4 pieces.
Finally, I went on my run. I was out for 30 minutes and even ran into Idalia, Ari, and Estelita walking the dog! After getting list on the way back, I eventually made it and rinsed off before I went to bed.
They are not Leeches but Lychees
ReplyDeleteDelicious and juicy lychee or "Litchi" heralds you the arrival of summer. Besides being sweet and nutritious, these berries bring cooling effect on the human body to beat the summer heat. Botanically, this exotic fruit belongs to the family of Sapindaceae, and named scientifically as Litchi chinensis.
The L. chinensis is a tropical fruit tree native to the low elevations of the Kwangtung and Fukien provinces in the Southern China.
It is a slow growing, medium-sized evergreen tree with dense, round-topped foliage, and smooth, gray, brittle trunk and branches. It may reach 40-50 feet height. Litchis, not only eye-catching plant during spring when its huge spray of flowers adorn the tree but also is a stunning sight for fruit lovers when the tree cover totally with beautiful berries.
In structure, the fruit is a drupe; oval, heart-shaped or nearly round, measures about 3–5 cm long and 3 cm in diameter and weigh about 10 g. In appearance, the fruit has close resemblances with longan and rambutan fruits.
Its outer skin is rough leathery rind or peel featuring pink color. Its peel can be detached easily once the fruit is ripen. Inside, the pulp consists of edible portion or aril that is white, translucent, sweet, and juicy.
Litchi has sweet, fragrant flavor and delicious to savor. Its flesh envelopes around a single, glossy, brown seed, 2 cm long, and 1–1.5 cm in diameter. The seeds, as that in case of sapodilla, are not poisonous but should not be eaten. Fresh lychees are readily available in the markets from May to October, about 120-140 days after flowering.
Health benefits of Lychee
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Lychee fruit contains 66 calories per 100 g, comparable to that in the table-grapes. It has no saturated fats or cholesterol, but composes of good amounts of dietary fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.
■Research studies suggest that oligonol, a low molecular weight polyphenol, is found abundantly in lychee fruit. Oligonol is thought to have anti-oxidant and anti-influenza virus actions. In addition, it helps improve blood flow in organs, reduce weight, and protect skin from harmful UV rays. (Takuya Sakurai (Kyorin University, Japan), Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem., 72(2), 463-476, 2008).
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Litchi, like citrus fruits, is an excellent source of vitamin C; 100 g fresh fruits provide 71.5 mg or 119% of daily-recommended value. Studies suggest that consumption of fruits rich in vitamin C helps the human body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.
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Further, it is a very good source of B-complex vitamins such as thiamin, niacin, and folates. These vitamins are essential since they function by acting as co-factors to help the body metabolize carbohydrates, protein, and fats.
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Litchi also carries a very good amount of minerals like potassium and copper. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids help control heart rate and blood pressure; thus, it offers protection against stroke and coronary heart diseases. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells.