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Lychee is a small, sweet tropical fruit with rough red skin and translucent white flesh, and it is one of the richest fruit sources of vitamin C: one cup of raw lychee has about 125 calories and about 151% of the Daily Value for vitamin C, plus a good share of copper, according to USDA data. It is also fairly high in natural sugar, at about 29 grams per cup. Lychee benefits are mainly about that vitamin C, since human research on the fruit is limited. Lychee has also been linked to outbreaks of a severe illness with low blood sugar among undernourished children in India, a story worth understanding accurately. Below are the USDA lychee nutrition facts, lychee calories compared with other fruits, dried lychee, the research and the safety facts.
Peptide Labs does not sell lychee or lychee products. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- One cup of raw lychee (190 g) has about 125 calories, 29 grams of natural sugar and 2.5 grams of fiber in USDA data.
- The same cup supplies about 151% of the Daily Value for vitamin C and about 31% for copper.
- Dried lychee is very concentrated: about 277 calories and 66 grams of sugar per 100 grams.
- Outbreaks in Muzaffarpur, India, linked lychee toxins and skipped meals to a severe low blood sugar illness in undernourished young children.
- Researchers recommended that children there eat an evening meal and limit lychee; well-fed people eating ripe fruit as part of meals were not the group affected.
Lychee nutrition per cup
The table uses the USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy entry for raw lychee, listed as litchis (FDC 169086), converted to USDA’s portion weight for one cup (190 grams), with values per 100 grams alongside. The percent Daily Value (%DV) uses the FDA Daily Values printed on Nutrition Facts labels. One peeled, seeded fruit weighs about 9.6 grams in USDA data, so a cup is roughly 20 lychees.
| Nutrient (raw lychee) | 1 cup (190 g) | % DV | Per 100 g | % DV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 125 | Not applicable | 66 | Not applicable |
| Carbohydrate | 31.4 g | 11% | 16.5 g | 6% |
| Fiber | 2.5 g | 9% | 1.3 g | 5% |
| Total sugars | 28.9 g | No DV | 15.2 g | No DV |
| Protein | 1.6 g | 3% | 0.8 g | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 136 mg | 151% | 71.5 mg | 79% |
| Copper | 0.28 mg | 31% | 0.15 mg | 16% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.19 mg | 11% | 0.10 mg | 6% |
| Riboflavin (vitamin B2) | 0.12 mg | 10% | 0.07 mg | 5% |
| Niacin | 1.15 mg | 7% | 0.60 mg | 4% |
| Folate | 27 mcg DFE | 7% | 14 mcg DFE | 4% |
| Potassium | 325 mg | 7% | 171 mg | 4% |
Vitamin C is the standout, and per 100 grams lychee edges out oranges and strawberries in USDA data. Our guide to vitamin C sources covers the wider list, and our vitamin C supplement guide explains why food sources come first. Copper is the less familiar contribution; our copper guide explains that trace mineral. Unlike orange fruits such as mango, lychee has no vitamin A in the USDA entry, and its fiber is modest.
Lychee calories and sugar compared with other fruits
Lychee calories are moderate per 100 grams, but the fruits are small and easy to eat by the handful, so a cup adds up. Sugar is on the higher side, similar to mango, while fiber is lower than in many fruits. Our guide to fruit sugar levels places lychee among the sweeter fruits. The table compares typical USDA servings.
| Fruit (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Calories | Vitamin C (% DV) | Fiber | Total sugars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lychee (169086) | 1 cup, 190 g | 125 | 136 mg (151%) | 2.5 g | 28.9 g |
| Orange (169097) | 1 fruit, 131 g | 62 | 70 mg (77%) | 3.1 g | 12.2 g |
| Strawberries (167762) | 1 cup whole, 144 g | 46 | 85 mg (94%) | 2.9 g | 7.0 g |
| Green kiwi (168153) | 1 fruit, 69 g | 42 | 64 mg (71%) | 2.1 g | 6.2 g |
| Mango (169910) | 1 cup pieces, 165 g | 99 | 60 mg (67%) | 2.6 g | 22.5 g |
| Banana (173944) | 1 medium, 118 g | 105 | 10 mg (11%) | 3.1 g | 14.4 g |
For vitamin C per calorie, kiwi and strawberries are leaner options, while lychee delivers more vitamin C per serving. If you are eating smaller portions on a GLP-1 medicine, our GLP-1 diet guide covers how fruit fits in, and our low glycemic foods guide explains how fiber and portion size shape the blood sugar response. People managing diabetes should ask their clinician or dietitian how lychee fits their plan.
Fresh vs dried lychee, and its cousin the longan
Dried lychee is chewy and raisin-like. Drying concentrates both sugar and nutrients, so it behaves much more like raisins than like fresh fruit. USDA SR Legacy has no entry for canned lychee; canned versions are usually packed in syrup, so the Nutrition Facts label is the place to check sugar. The longan, a close relative with tan skin, is listed separately.
| Per 100 g (USDA FDC ID) | Calories | Total sugars | Fiber | Vitamin C (% DV) | Copper (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lychee, raw (169086) | 66 | 15.2 g | 1.3 g | 71.5 mg (79%) | 0.15 mg (16%) |
| Lychee, dried (169087) | 277 | 66.1 g | 4.6 g | 183 mg (203%) | 0.63 mg (70%) |
| Longan, raw (169089) | 60 | Not reported | 1.1 g | 84 mg (93%) | 0.17 mg (19%) |
Lychee benefits: what the research shows
Human research on eating fresh lychee is very limited. The trials that exist mostly test Oligonol, a branded polyphenol product made from lychee fruit extract combined with tea compounds.
- Extract trial (2025): a 12-week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 66 Japanese adults with overweight tested the extract against placebo and measured abdominal fat by CT scan. It was a single, small study of a concentrated product.
- Exercise recovery (2026): a crossover study in just 10 healthy young men reported lower blood lactate during recovery with the extract, with no change in exercise performance.
- Lab studies: lychee polyphenols are studied as antioxidants mainly in lab and animal work, which is why lychee appears in discussions of antioxidant-rich foods.
None of this shows that eating lychee changes health outcomes. What USDA data do support is that lychee is a vitamin C and copper-rich fruit that can fit in a varied diet.
Lychee and low blood sugar: the Muzaffarpur outbreaks
Since 1995, Muzaffarpur district in Bihar, India, the country’s largest lychee-growing region, has seen outbreaks of a sudden brain illness in young children, peaking each June during the lychee harvest. A 2015 CDC report with India’s National Centre for Disease Control found that low blood sugar on admission was common and linked to worse outcomes, and that 44% of cases studied were fatal.
- The 2014 investigation (Lancet Global Health, 2017): 390 children aged 15 or younger were admitted to two hospitals and 122 (31%) died; 62% of those tested had low blood sugar on admission. Eating lychee and skipping the evening meal in the previous 24 hours were both linked to illness, and the link with lychee was stronger in children who had missed that meal. Tests for infections and pesticides were negative. Breakdown products of two natural fruit toxins, hypoglycin A and MCPG, were found in 66% of urine samples from sick children and none from controls. The study was funded by CDC.
- The 2019 outbreak (published 2023): in 61 cases and 239 controls, eating lychee in the week before illness and skipping the previous evening’s meal were each associated with about five times higher odds of illness.
- Why it happens: a 2024 review explains that these toxins block the body’s ability to use fatty acids for fuel and to make new glucose. Undernourished children with little stored glucose, who ate lychee in orchards on an empty stomach, were most at risk. A 2023 review pointed to higher toxin levels in unripe fruit.
The researchers’ public health advice for the region was to limit lychee eating among children, make sure children eat an evening meal, and correct low blood sugar quickly in any child who falls ill. The affected children were undernourished and often had not eaten, which is very different from a well-fed person eating ripe lychee with a meal. Still, the sensible takeaway for families is to serve lychee to young children as part of a meal rather than in place of one. A child who becomes very drowsy, confused or has a seizure needs emergency care right away.
Other lychee cautions
- Allergy: lychee is not one of the nine major food allergens that US labels must declare, so people who react need to read ingredient lists in drinks, desserts and gummies. Hives, swelling or breathing trouble needs urgent care; our elimination diet guide explains why food testing should be supervised.
- Seeds and skin: the large brown seed and the tough skin are not eaten; peel and pit lychees before serving them, and cut them up for young children.
- Sugar: dried and syrup-packed lychee carry far more sugar per serving than fresh fruit.
For a fiber-rich autumn fruit with a different caution, see our sibling guide to persimmon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main lychee benefits?
USDA data show lychee is very high in vitamin C and also supplies copper and some B vitamins. Human research on the fresh fruit is limited; most trials test a branded extract.
How many calories are in lychee?
About 125 calories in a cup of raw lychee and about 6 calories in one peeled fruit, in USDA data.
Is lychee high in sugar?
Fairly. A cup of raw lychee has about 29 grams of natural sugar and 2.5 grams of fiber. Dried lychee is much more concentrated.
Is lychee the same as litchi?
Yes. Litchi and lychee are two spellings for the same fruit, Litchi chinensis; USDA lists it as litchis.
Can eating lychee cause low blood sugar?
Outbreaks in India linked lychee toxins and skipped meals to severe low blood sugar in undernourished young children. Researchers advised an evening meal and limiting lychee there; well-fed people eating ripe fruit with meals were not the group affected.
Is lychee safe for kids?
Peeled, pitted and cut-up lychee can be part of a child’s meal. Serve it with food rather than on an empty stomach, and get emergency care for unusual drowsiness or seizures.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Persimmon: USDA Nutrition, Fuyu vs Hachiya, Benefits and Cautions, Foods High in Vitamin C: USDA List of Fruits and Vegetables, Low Sugar Fruits: USDA Sugar per Serving, From Lowest to Highest, Rambutan: What the Fruit Is, Nutrition and Rambutan vs Lychee, Longan Fruit: Nutrition, Fresh vs Dried Longan, and How to Eat It.