Lychee vs. Kumquat — Nutrition and Health Impact

Introduction

Exotic fruits are always interesting to consume, and in this article, we will consider two types of exotic fruits: lychee and kumquat. These fruits are exotic, yet they are widely different from one another. They differ in origin, taste, nutritional content, and health impacts.

In this article, we will examine each of the differences between these fruits, mainly focusing on nutrition and health. 

General Differences

These exotic fruits are not commonly found and are available all year round and everywhere. Although kumquat is a citrus fruit that can be cultivated in different regions, its origin is China. 

Some people compare them to small, bite-sized mandarines or oranges. However, they are zesty, tangy, and a bit bitter. They are olive-sized, and the interesting thing about kumquats is that you can eat them as a whole with the peel. 

In comparison, lychees (litchi) have a peculiar flavor that is aromatic, floral, and sweet with white flesh. 

In terms of flavor, eating lychees is more pleasant than eating kumquats. 

Nutrition

In this section, we will consider 100g of each fruit.

Minerals

Lychee is richer in manganese, copper, and phosphorus. In comparison, kumquat is richer in magnesium and iron. 

Here, we can visualize their mineral distribution. 

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Kumquat

5

Lychee

4

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+100%
Contains more CalciumCalcium	+1140%
Contains more IronIron	+177.4%
Contains more ZincZinc	+142.9%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+145.5%

Contains more CopperCopper	+55.8%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+63.2%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-90%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+∞%

~equal in Potassium ~171mg

Vitamins

Lychee is richer in vitamin C and vitamin B6. In comparison, kumquat is richer in vitamin A and vitamin B2. 

Note that kumquat contains a high amount of vitamin C. 

Here, we can visualize their vitamin distribution. 

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Kumquat

7

Lychee

4

Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E	+114.3%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+236.4%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+38.5%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+∞%
Contains more FolateFolate	+21.4%
Contains more CholineCholine	+18.3%

Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C	+62.9%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+40.6%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+177.8%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K	+∞%

~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg

~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

Health Impacts

Lychee contains many phytochemicals and flavonoids that have numerous positive health impacts, one of the most significant of which is on Alzheimer’s. Flavonol in lychee showcased a slowing down of progression in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease (1). 

In addition, lychee phytochemicals have anti-tumor and anti-carcinogenic properties (2)(3). 

Lychee contains a very rich amount of vitamin C, which has numerous health benefits and is mainly anti-oxidative (4).

Kumquat is rich in flavonoids, and specifically, they have a richer amount of C-Glycosides, which showcase anti-carcinogenic, anti-diabetes, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative properties. 

More research is needed to determine the dosage for their maximal health benefits (5)(6). 

Since kumquats are eaten whole, They have a very rich fiber content. The fiber in kumquat has numerous health benefits, including digestive, metabolic, and cardiovascular (7).  

References

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26342518/ 
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31603034/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5622752/ 
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29763052/ 
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26462718/ 
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28911534/
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33096647/