Organic lychees from Spain - 2 kg

🍒 What lychee really contains:

1) Rich in vitamin C - and here, the figure is spectacular

71.5 mg of vitamin C per 100 g, or 89% of the reference intake. It is more than an orange (about 53 mg), more than a yellow kiwi on many tables, and nearly double that of a mango. A small portion of 150 g of flesh - about fifteen fruits - provides you with approximately 107 mg of vitamin C. Vitamin C contributes to the normal functioning of the immune system, protects cells against oxidative stress, and reduces fatigue. This is by far the strongest nutritional argument for this fruit, and it doesn't need to be embellished.

2) Vitamin C increases iron absorption.

Is the most intelligent use one can make of a fruit so rich in vitamin C. This increases the absorption of non-heme iron, that of plants, which is otherwise poorly absorbed. Specifically: a few lychees for dessert after a plate of lentils, sprouted seeds, or legumes, and you significantly improve the iron absorption from this meal. It's a simple habit, and particularly useful when consuming little or no animal products.

3) Vitamin C, collagen, skin, and cartilage

Vitamin C contributes to the normal formation of collagen to ensure the normal function of the skin, blood vessels, bones, cartilage, gums, and teeth. This is established and authorized. However, no, lychee does not "rejuvenate" the skin and does not replace any skincare - you might read otherwise in various places, but it's not serious.

4) Vitamin C, energy, and the nervous system

Less known, yet equally established: vitamin C contributes to normal energy metabolism, the normal functioning of the nervous system, and normal psychological function. It also contributes to the regeneration of the reduced form of vitamin E. A portion of lychees in the mid-afternoon covers most of the daily reference intake—which, for a 4 PM snack, is quite significant.

5) Polyphenols, including epicatechin and procyanidins

The lychee is one of the fruits best endowed with procyanidins, the same family of compounds found in grapes and cocoa. These molecules are the subject of numerous research studies. Let's be honest: to date, No health claims are officially authorized in Europe for lychee polyphenols. The research explores, some results are interesting, but no promises can be made. What we can say is that the fruit contains it, and that's one more good reason to eat it.

6) Copper, just at the threshold

0.15 mg of copper per 100 g, which is about 15% of the reference intake. This is exactly the threshold from which one is allowed to refer to a "source of" - and according to the tables consulted, lychee is just above or just below it. Therefore, we prefer to provide you with the figure and let you decide, rather than writing a statement that would rely on rounding.

7) Sweet, yes - so what ?

15.2 g of sugars per 100 g, 66 kcal, 1.3 g of fiber, 82% water. The lychee is a truly sweet fruit, and we won't pretend otherwise: a 200 g serving contains about thirty grams of sugars. Its glycemic index is around 50, which is a moderate GI, but each person reacts differently. What matters most is that lychees are not eaten like snacks: a 2 kg box is shared and spread over one to two weeks.

What we read elsewhere and that is false. No, lychee does not make you lose weight. No, it is not an aphrodisiac. No, it does not "detoxify" anything at all. These three claims are widely circulated and are not based on anything. Lychee is a fruit remarkably rich in vitamin C, very fragrant, available five weeks a year - that is already more than enough.

A varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important. The beneficial effects mentioned above are achieved with a consumption of about 150 to 200 g of lychees, as part of a balanced diet.

🍒 To learn more, check out our blog post: Exotic and tropical fruits: the complete list, from the rarest to the most well-known.

Direct supply chain Costa Tropical

These are the same orchards, the same partner, and the same route as for our crates of Osteen mangoes, ofReed lawyers, of papayas and of Cherimoyas : a family-run organic farm located on the coastal strip between Salobreña and Málaga. We can't be more direct - the package leaves from the orchard, not from a warehouse.

The lychee comes from southern China, where it has been cultivated for over two thousand years. It arrived in Europe via Réunion and Madagascar, which remain the main suppliers to the European market in winter. What is less known is that The Costa Tropical of Granada and the Axarquía of Málaga are roughly the only two areas in continental Europe where lychee actually bears fruit. It needs a cool winter without frost to trigger blooming, followed by a hot and humid summer - this subtropical microclimate nestled between the Sierra Nevada and the Mediterranean is one of the few places on the continent that meets both conditions.

Spanish production remains limited, with only a few dozen hectares, primarily from varietal trials conducted on the coast (Salathiel, Bengal, Wai Chee, Kwai May Pink). It's not much, the season is short, and most of it goes to local markets. In practical terms, this means two things: we will never have large volumes, and you are eating a lychee that has spent two days in a truck instead of a week on a plane.

The packaging of lychees is 2 kilograms.
The shipment is made directly from Malaga, from the producer, via GLS. Once your package is dispatched, delivery to your home takes 2/3 business days (non-contractual). You will receive an email from the carrier GLS to inform you of the dispatch of your package with a tracking link.

A piece of advice we don't give for other deliveries: be there at the delivery. The lychee is the most delicate of our fresh fruits. It doesn't spoil, but it dehydrates, and each day spent in a package at room temperature costs it freshness. Do not order if you are going away for the weekend, and refrigerate everything as soon as you open the box.

- If you order just a box of fruits, including shipping, no additional shipping fees will be added to your order.
- If you order other products from our store, you will also need to pay the standard shipping fees for your other products: one package will be sent from Marseille and another from Malaga. Arrival in 2 separate packages.

Mixing possible on all fresh fruit boxes. No pick-up points.

🍒 Average nutritional values per 100 g of raw lychee

Indicative average values for raw lychee, flesh only (sources: USDA FoodData Central and Ciqual ANSES table). They vary depending on the variety, maturity, and terroir. Reference intakes for a typical adult (EU regulation 1169/2011).

Frequently Asked Questions about Lychees from Spain

Why do my lychees have brown skin ?

Because their skin is very thin and loses its water in two or three days when exposed to air. This browning is a dehydration phenomenon, not rotting: the flesh inside is perfectly white and intact. Trust the smell, never the color - a lychee that has truly gone bad smells distinctly of alcohol and vinegar. This is the number one misunderstanding about this fruit, and it leads to perfectly good lychees being thrown away every year.

Do lychees ripen after being picked ?

No, and that is what radically distinguishes them from mangoes or avocados. The lychee is a non-climacteric fruit: it does not have any starch reserves to convert into sugar once detached from the tree. Its sugar and fragrance are acquired in the orchard, or they never will be. This is also why the proximity of the producer is so important for this particular fruit.

How many lychees are in a 2 kg box ?

Between approximately 80 and 120 fruits, depending on the sizes of the harvest - a lychee generally weighs between 15 and 25 g. We do not sort by size: the crate is sent as it comes from the orchard. Depending on the shipments, the fruits are delivered either detached or still in clusters on their branch.

How to store them ?

In the refrigerator, immediately, in a closed box or a perforated bag. The cold significantly slows down browning and easily gives you an extra week: expect about ten days, sometimes two weeks. At room temperature, however, the peel dries out in two to three days. Unlike mangoes, there is absolutely nothing to gain by leaving them on the countertop.

Can you freeze lychees ?

Yes, and it's the best way to absorb a surplus. Freeze them whole, with the skin: it comes off on its own after coming out of the freezer, in a few seconds under warm water. Frozen fruits then blended make an instant sorbet without any additions. Once defrosted, they are softer and release water: reserve them for smoothies and purees rather than eating them plain.

What is the difference between lychee, longan, and rambutan ?

The three belong to the same botanical family, the Sapindaceae, and share the same structure: a rind, translucent white flesh, and a seed. The lychee has a red, bumpy rind and the most floral fragrance of the three. The longan is smaller, with a smooth, beige rind and a muskier taste. The rambutan is larger and covered with long, flexible filaments. Only the lychee is currently cultivated in continental Europe.

When is the lychee season in Spain ?

From early August to early September, just four to five weeks - it's one of the shortest seasons in our entire fresh fruit catalog. For the rest of the year, the lychee available in Europe comes from Madagascar or South Africa, by plane. Out of season, you can opt for our freeze-dried lychees, which retain the essential nutrients and aroma.

Is lychee suitable for people with diabetes ?

It is a sweet fruit: 15.2 g of sugars per 100 g, with a moderate glycemic index around 50. That said, each person reacts differently, and we are not doctors: if you are concerned about diabetes or glycemic monitoring, the only correct answer is that of your doctor or dietitian, not that of a commercial website.

I read that lychee can be dangerous. What is the truth about it ?

This concern comes from a serious study published in 2017 in The Lancet Global Health, on episodes of encephalopathy that occurred in Muzaffarpur, in northern India. It implicated two compounds naturally present in the fruit, hypoglycin A and MCPG, which disrupt the liver's production of glucose. The study should be read in full: the affected children were malnourished, ate large quantities of unripe lychees picked from the ground, and skipped the evening meal - it is the combination of the three that caused severe hypoglycemia. The concentrations are much higher in the unripe fruit than in the ripe fruit. For a well-nourished adult who eats ripe lychees as dessert, there is no issue. Common sense still applies: ripe fruits, and not an empty stomach as dinner.

🍒 To go further, here is what we recommend you read or taste on the side:

• The complete list of tropical fruits, from the rarest to the most well-known.
• Our freeze-dried lychees 200 g - to extend the season all year round.
• The benefits of freeze-dried fruits - what freeze-drying preserves, and what it loses.
• The complete guide to our 10 freeze-dried varieties.
• The other cash registers in the same sector: organic Osteen mangoes, , organic papayas, , organic cherimoyas and Reed bio lawyers.

A varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important. The beneficial effects mentioned in the BENEFITS tab are achieved with a consumption of about 150 to 200 g of lychees, as part of a balanced diet.

Warning: The information presented on this page is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your diet or supplementation. As part of a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

Update: August 2026. Sheet written and validated by Éric Viard, founder of Biovie since 2007 and engineer ISTOM, co-author of Seaweed in everyday life (Gallimard, 2024) - Best cookbook in the world, Gourmand Cookbook Awards 2025, and Best cookbook in France, National Academy of Cuisine 2025.