Lychees are rich in sugar, protein, various vitamins, fat, citric acid, pectin, and elements like phosphorus and iron, making them a beneficial fruit for the body. However, lychees come in many varieties, and it's not always easy for the average person to distinguish the good from the bad. For this reason, we will now teach you some tips for selecting lychees. Take a look!
Fresh lychees should be vibrant in color, uniform in size, have thin skin and thick flesh, be tender and juicy, sweet, and aromatic. When selecting, you can first gently squeeze them in your hand; a good lychee should feel springy. From the outside, fresh lychees generally have a very bright luster. Sometimes, you might see lychees with some dark spots on the fruit; these have begun to spoil, so consume them with caution.
Therefore, selecting lychees requires us to use sight, touch, smell, and taste to determine if they are fresh.
Look
First, look at the top of the lychee. If the top is relatively pointed and the "bumps" on the peel are densely packed, it means the lychee is not yet ripe. Conversely, a pointed top indicates a ripe lychee. Second, look at the shell: if the龟裂片 (tessellated sections) are flat and the suture line is distinct, the lychee will be incredibly sweet. Give it a try! A truly fresh lychee, from the outside, is not overly vibrant in color, but a dark red with a hint of green, and has no strange odor.
Touch
Touch them with your hand. A lychee held in your hand should be firm yet springy. When you peel back the skin, the membrane inside should be white. If there are black spots, it means it has been stored for too long.
Smell
Smell it with your nose. Fresh lychees have a delicate, sweet fragrance. If there is a sour or any other smell, it is no longer fresh.
Taste
Taste it with your tongue. When you eat a fresh lychee, the flesh is springy, the juice is fragrant and enticing, and the taste is a perfect balance of sweet and sour.