Longan or dragon eye is one of the exotic fruit which is rich of certain nutrients, delicious and of course beneficial for human health. It is a lychee like fruit with taste which is also similar, delicious, sweet and fresh but the size is a bit smaller if compared to lychee.
Longan has been well known as part of Chinese herbal since ancient time and its popularity is spreading in South East of Asia, the name of dragon eye comes from Chinese which refers to the seeds of longan which looks like an eye ball.
However, recently longan is no longer belongs to ancient Chinese’s secret manuscript but many people have realized how beneficial this fruit for human health is. For Asian people, longan is just like any fruit they easily found in the market but the fact that longan fruit is more than just any fruit is necessarily to know as well. Below are some explanations of nutritional value of longan and then followed by 20 benefits of longan for human health:
Nutritional Breakdown of Longan
| Nutritional Value of Longan: Serving per 100 gram | ||
| Energy: | 60 Kcal | |
| Carbohydrate: | 15.4 gram | Carbohydrate contained in longan consists of sugar and dietary fiber. |
| Fat: | 0.1 gram | |
| Protein: | 1.31 gram | Protein consists of certain chemical compounds like threonine, leucine, lysine, methionine, valine, glutamic acid etc. |
| Vitamins: | ||
| Vitamin B1 | 0.031 mg (3%) | Thiamine |
| Vitamin B2 | 0.14 mg (12%) | Riboflavin |
| Vitamin B3 | 0.3 mg (2%) | Niacin |
| Vitamin C | 84 mg (101%) | |
| Minerals: | ||
| Calcium | 1 mg | |
| Iron | 0.13 mg | |
| Magnesium | 10 mg | |
| Potassium | 266 mg | |
| Manganese | 0.052 mg | |
| Copper | 0.8 mg | |
| Phosphorous | 21 mg | |
| Zinc | 0.05 mg | |
Health Benefits of Longan from its nutrients could be various and useful for many of body part. Here are some proven longan benefits for health.
- Longan is an Excellent Stress Remedy
Stress may be a common psychological problem that almost everyone should face today. The causes might be varies like work pressure, unhealthy social life and many more.
Sometimes the easiest way to deal with stress is removing the root of the stress but it never easy. That’s why alternative solution like making yourself a bit calm in facing whatever problem you have is one way that everyone could take without the need any medication.
Consuming longan which contained a certain substances with calming effect could help you dealing with whatever problem you face with clearer mind.
- Longan is Effective to Fight Insomnia or Any Sleeping Disorder
There are some substances contained in longan which is beneficial to help you dealing with your insomnia and any sleeping disorder. The first is the calming effect that will give you a very good night sleep because longan could assist in calming your nerve.
You could say good bye to symptoms like fatigue and nervousness that could interference your sleep. The second is longan is rich of minerals that will keep your body to function normally and reduce the anxiety that also could be the main cause of insomnia.
- Longan is Containing Polyphenols to Prevent the Development of Cancer
All fruits which are rich of antioxidant always become the powerful solution to prevent the development of cancerous cells and longan is no exception since it is so rich of polyphenols. Cancerous cells could be caused by the untreated damaged cells caused by free radicals.
Damaged cells could affect the healthy cells which cause an abnormal rapid growth of damaged cells in the body. The best way to deal with it is by removing the damaged cells before it will affect any healthy cells. Polyphenols has ability in dealing with those damaged cells and at the same time assisting in regeneration of new and healthy cells.
- Longan is Rich of Iron to Fight Anemia
As rich of iron of course longan is able to fight anemia. Iron is essential in producing red blood cells; proper amount of red blood cells in the body means zero risk of anemia. Furthermore, longan is also rich of vitamin C and this vitamin is a natural substance that will help in optimizing the absorption of iron.
Furthermore, longan is also rich of minerals like copper, magnesium and potassium which will keep your heart healthy so it will function properly and your blood regulation will regulate normally.
- Longan as Qi tonic for Energy Booster
One more specialty of longan is it is so rich of Qi tonic. What is Qi tonic? It is a natural substance that could assist in enhancing energy as well as raising long term energy. That’s why longan is also well known as an energy booster fruit. Besides that Qi tonic is also well known as memory enhancer.
So, if you are currently in situation that forces you to be in long term stamina and fresh mind, for example is monthly closed meeting which required longer time than any meeting you should attend in a month, instead of consuming a certain drugs, consuming longan is much more recommended.
- Longan for Healthy Weight Loss Diet
Fruits should be put as part of your diet if you are currently in weight loss program. Longan is quite rich in carbohydrate which is essential to form energy, so even during diet your body will get enough stamina but at the same time will assist in reducing your craving towards foods. Furthermore, longan is also containing adequate amount of water which will keep your body dehydrated.
Dehydrated body means good metabolism and good metabolism means your body is able to work properly in processing nutrients come with foods you consume. However, you have to be aware as well that longan is quite high in sugar, so you have to consuming it wisely if you want a maximum benefit of longan for your body.
- Longan is Rich of Vitamin C for Immunity Booster
Speaking of immunity booster, longan which is rich of vitamin C is surely recommended to be consumed. Vitamin C contained in longan is relatively high which is capable of exerting antimicrobial activity.
This activity will stimulate the immune system to respond to any treats from bacteria, viruses and any viral infections. Consuming longan will provide enough amount of vitamin C that your body needed as one more layer of protection toward common infections like sore throat, flu and cough.
- Longan is Beneficial for Heart Health
Heart problem is mainly started due to unhealthy condition of heart caused by several problems. The early symptoms of heart problem are when heart suffered a rapid heart rate or even slower heart rate, in other words, heart is not functioning normally.
Potassium and magnesium contained in longan is beneficial to heart health because they could assist in relaxing the muscles and the nerves connected to heart organ which will affect the regulation of blood pressure. Normal regulation of blood means easier job for heart to pump and distribute the blood to the whole part of the body.
- Longan as Anti-Aging
Why longan fruit is considered to be a natural source of anti-aging? Well, it is due to the high content of polyphenols found in longan. Polyphenols is one of the types of antioxidant that contribute in fighting free radicals. Free radical itself is damaged cells which without intensive treatment could leads to several serious problems.
However, polyphenols has fast response toward free radicals and will remove it from body system to prevent healthy cells being affected. So, the regeneration of cells could be conducted properly without any interference which makes longan as powerful anti-aging.
- Longan as Natural Remedy for Stomachache
Perhaps there is no more delicious way to treat stomachache but eating longan. Longan contained certain substances that could help as home remedy to treat some stomach problem like pain and infection. It is due to its ability to act as antimicrobial that will treat stomach problem by removing or killing the cause of infections.
- Longan Has Calming Effect which is Good for Nerve System
As mentioned above, longan is excellent remedy to deal with stress, actually it is closely related to the fact that longan is rich of potassium and magnesium which has prominent contribution in calming the nerve system.
Those two substances are good to maintain the function of healthy heart, if heart in normal or proper condition, the heart beat is also in normal pace. It means there is no rapid heart rate which will lead to several conditions like anxiety, nervousness and fatigue. The effect of having good nerve system is you will feel always relax and you will always in your best condition.
- Longan is also Good for Bone Health
One of the reasons why a person is suffering from a bone condition is due to mineral deficiency in the body. Besides that age factor is also contributing in making this condition worse especially in female that has entered postmenopausal stage, the lack of mineral could cause a certain bone conditions like osteoporosis.
Longan is rich of minerals like copper, potassium and magnesium; consuming longan for female with early symptoms of osteoporosis may not cure the condition but at least could slower the degeneration of bone cells. However, for you who are currently in healthy stage condition, consuming longan might be able to help you preventing any bone condition to occur when you reach senior age.
- Longan is Beneficial for Oral Health
Vitamin C has been proven to be able in maintaining damaged membrane and that’s why consuming longan could assist in maintaining the oral health. Besides that since it is also rich of minerals, so longan could assist in maintaining the strong teeth structure.
However, you have to make sure to wash your oral organs after consuming longan due to its sugar content which is relatively high that could cause some damage to your teeth and other oral organs.
- Longan Could Assist in Controlling Blood Pressure
Two substances like potassium and magnesium are essential to assist in controlling blood pressure. Fortunately, longan is contained quite high content of minerals like potassium and magnesium. Furthermore, its calming effect also has big contribution in relaxing the heart muscle and nerves so heart organ will not work like it is forced to work and as the result you will have healthier heart and at the same time could reduce some worst scenario caused by serious heart condition like stroke and cardiac arrest.
- Longan Will Benefit for Eye-sight
Ribovlafin is very essential in keeping the eye health. Ribovlafin as part of Vitamin B complex could assist in reducing the risk of eye disorder, especially cataracts. This is one type of antioxidant which will provide one layer of defense toward free radicals which will cause some damaged cells in eye’s membrane. Furthermore, in long term, consuming longan could reduce the risk of age-related condition that commonly affects the vision once a person reaches a senior age.
- Longan Could Work as Wound Recovery Enhancer
Longan contained high vitamin C which and Vitamin B, those are vitamins which contained powerful antioxidant which has function to repair damaged cells. Wounds are considered as damaged skin cells and vitamin C will assist in repairing the damaged tissue or cells. Furthermore, it is also functioning as antimicrobial which will prevent the wound from further infection since open wound is easily contaminated by bacteria.
- Longan Has Big Contribution in Red Blood Cells Production
As rich in minerals like copper, magnesium and potassium of course longan has big contribution in assisting heart to produce and distribute blood to all body system. Besides that, longan is also rich of vitamin C which could help optimizing the absorption of iron which is essential in the production of red blood cells. In other words, you could prevent any interference of iron from other nutrients just by consuming longan which is rich of vitamin C.
- Longan for Healthy Metabolism
Health benefits of longan for your metabolism is very important. Longan also contributes in healthy metabolism. It is due to the riboflavin which is relatively high found in longan. This substance has contribution in activating special enzymes that could help body optimizing the process of fats, carbohydrate and proteins in proper way.
Proper way here means, those substances will be optimally processed and turned into energy which is essential for human daily activity, if those substances are not processed properly the effect is like excess fat due to improper fats metabolism, high glucose level in blood due to improper carbohydrate metabolism and many more.
- Longan as Sex Tonic
Longan as sex tonic has been well known since ancient time by Chinese; that’s why, instead of fruit, Chinese recognized longan as herbal medicine at the first time due to its ability to provide longer energy which is good for any sexual activity.
- Longan for Healthier Brain Function
One of the important substances to make sure the brain cells are working optimally is enough distribution of copper. Longan is also rich of copper which will produce norepinephrine, a chemical compound which is essential to brain functions optimally. Besides that, copper also contributes in maintaining the nerve system which assists brain in sending messages to the whole nerve systems inside the body.
Side Effect of consuming too Much Longan
- Pregnant Woman Should Avoid Longan
A pregnant woman with healthy lifestyle may still able to consume longan in adequate amount however eat too much longan could lead to some serious problems like bleeding and in the worst case could cause a miscarriage. That’s why, no matter how beneficial longan for human health or how high the nutrients contained that will be good for pregnant woman, this fruit should be avoided in all cost.
- Not Recommended to Eat Longan During Summer or Hot Day
Longan might be watery so you think that consuming it during hot day is a good idea. Well, it is true that longan is containing high amount of water but it is also containing properties that will make your body warmer. The effect is you will feel some kinds of burning sensation in your body. However, consuming longan as part of fruit punch or fruit salads is still tolerable as long as you’re not consuming it in high amount.
- Longan is Relatively High in Sugar
Sugar contained in longan is relatively high. You don’t need to do a specific research to find out about that because from the sweet taste of longan you will know that this fruit is rich of sugar. As rich is sugar of course for those who are currently in diet program should not consume it in high amount. Patient with diabetes should avoid this fruit in all cost too because if your body is no longer able to control the sugar level in your blood, consuming longan will just make the condition worse.
More about Longan
One more unique things about longan that everyone should know is the ability of the longan’ seeds to treat snake’s bites. Yes, it is not only the pulp which is beneficial for your health the seeds also contained certain properties. To treat snake’s bites, what you need to do is just removing the pulp from the seeds and then pressing the eye of the seeds against area bitten by the snake, the eye of the seeds will absorb the venom and then clean the venom from your blood.
So, is longan just any fruit you could find in the market? Of course not because the explanation about 20 benefits of longan for human health will open your eyes a bit about how beneficial this exotic fruit is actually.