🔥 In a nutshell#
Fresh longan is sweet and soft; dried it becomes gui yuan — a food-medicine staple.
📋 Basics#
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Also called | guiyuan / dragon eye |
| Family | Sapindaceae, Dimocarpus |
| Nature | sweet, warm |
| Calories | ≈ 71 kcal/100g |
👅 Taste & Texture#
Translucent bouncy flesh, honey-sweet, faint aroma; dried is richer.
💪 Nutrition & Benefits#
- Sugar, iron and nutrients — traditionally tonifies spleen/heart;
- Dried «guiyuan» used in soups for calm and blood;
- Gentle energy.
🌍 Where It Grows#
Putian, Gaozhou, Guangxi, Hainan; Thailand, Vietnam too.
🍂 Harvest Season#
Late summer to early autumn (Jul–Sep).
🛒 Picking & Storing#
- Fresh: tan shell, plump, easy-peel;
- Dried: seal from damp; great in soup/tea.
⚠️ Cautions#
- Warm and sweet — moderate if heat/phlegm/diabetic;
- Fresh spoils fast; refrigerate.
✨ Fun Facts#
Longan and lychee are cousins in Sapindaceae — one red, one brown; one high summer, one late.
Note: the above reflects general nutrition knowledge and is not medical advice.
