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Lychee vs. Kumquat — Nutrition and Health Impact

Article author photo Jack  Yacoubian by Jack Yacoubian | Last updated on April 10, 2024
Medically reviewed by Elen Khachatrian Article author photo Elen Khachatrian
Lychee
vs
Kumquat

Summary

Lychee has a sweet and aromatic taste. It has a lower glycemic index and is richer in manganese, copper, phosphorus, vitamin C, and vitamin B6. In comparison, kumquat is bitter and citrusy. It is richer in fiber, C-glycosides, vitamin A, and vitamin B2.

Both have numerous positive health impacts.

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.

Calories

Kumquats contain 71 calories, whereas lychee contains 66 calories. Kumquat is slightly higher in calories. 

Carbs

They have nearly similar amounts of carbohydrates, about 16g for both. However, the net carb content is very different. 

Lychee has more net carbs than kumquat. 

Glycemic Index

Kumquat has a glycemic index of 67, whereas lychee has a lower index of 48. However, when considering their glycemic load, they both have glycemic loads of 1. 

Fiber

The difference in fiber between them is very significant. Kumquats are richer in fiber than lychees. A kumquat contains 6.5g of fiber, whereas a lychee contains 1.3g of fiber. 

Kumquat contains five times more fiber than lychee. 

Oxalate Content

Lychee contains no oxalate, and kumquat has a negligible oxalate content. 

Protein and Fats

Their protein and fat profiles are negligible

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.
Lychee
4
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 7.1% 1.5% 15% 12% 49% 1.9% 13% 0.13% 7.2% 3.3%
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 14% 19% 16% 32% 32% 4.6% 8.1% 1.3% 18% 0%
Contains more CopperCopper +55.8%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +63.2%
Contains less SodiumSodium -90%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium +∞%
Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +100%
Contains more CalciumCalcium +1140%
Contains more IronIron +177.4%
Contains more ZincZinc +142.9%
Contains more ManganeseManganese +145.5%
~equal in Potassium ~186mg

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.
Lychee
4
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 238% 0% 1.4% 0% 2.8% 15% 11% 0% 23% 0% 1% 11% 3.9%
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 146% 17% 3% 0% 9.3% 21% 8% 12% 8.3% 0% 0% 13% 4.6%
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 +∞%
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 FolateFolate +21.4%
Contains more CholineCholine +18.3%
~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).  

Article author photo Jack  Yacoubian
Education: Haigazian Medical University
Last updated: April 10, 2024
Medically reviewed by Elen Khachatrian

Infographic

Lychee vs Kumquat infographic
Infographic link

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
Lychee
2
17% 82%
Protein: 0.83 g
Fats: 0.44 g
Carbs: 16.53 g
Water: 81.76 g
Other: 0.44 g
2% 16% 81%
Protein: 1.88 g
Fats: 0.86 g
Carbs: 15.9 g
Water: 80.85 g
Other: 0.51 g
Contains more ProteinProtein +126.5%
Contains more FatsFats +95.5%
Contains more OtherOther +15.9%
~equal in Carbs ~15.9g
~equal in Water ~80.85g

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
Lychee
1
28% 34% 38%
Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.099 g
Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.12 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.132 g
24% 36% 40%
Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.103 g
Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.154 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.171 g
Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat +28.3%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +29.5%
~equal in Saturated Fat ~0.103g

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
Lychee Kumquat
Lower in Sodium ok
Lower in Saturated Fat ok
Lower in Glycemic Index ok
Lower in Sugar ok
Lower in price ok
Rich in minerals ok
Lower in Cholesterol Equal
Rich in vitamins Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient Lychee Kumquat Opinion
Calories 66kcal 71kcal Kumquat
Protein 0.83g 1.88g Kumquat
Fats 0.44g 0.86g Kumquat
Vitamin C 71.5mg 43.9mg Lychee
Net carbs 15.23g 9.4g Lychee
Carbs 16.53g 15.9g Lychee
Magnesium 10mg 20mg Kumquat
Calcium 5mg 62mg Kumquat
Potassium 171mg 186mg Kumquat
Iron 0.31mg 0.86mg Kumquat
Sugar 15.23g 9.36g Kumquat
Fiber 1.3g 6.5g Kumquat
Copper 0.148mg 0.095mg Lychee
Zinc 0.07mg 0.17mg Kumquat
Phosphorus 31mg 19mg Lychee
Sodium 1mg 10mg Lychee
Vitamin A 0IU 290IU Kumquat
Vitamin A 0µg 15µg Kumquat
Vitamin E 0.07mg 0.15mg Kumquat
Manganese 0.055mg 0.135mg Kumquat
Selenium 0.6µg 0µg Lychee
Vitamin B1 0.011mg 0.037mg Kumquat
Vitamin B2 0.065mg 0.09mg Kumquat
Vitamin B3 0.603mg 0.429mg Lychee
Vitamin B5 0.208mg Kumquat
Vitamin B6 0.1mg 0.036mg Lychee
Vitamin K 0.4µg 0µg Lychee
Folate 14µg 17µg Kumquat
Choline 7.1mg 8.4mg Kumquat
Saturated Fat 0.099g 0.103g Lychee
Monounsaturated Fat 0.12g 0.154g Kumquat
Polyunsaturated fat 0.132g 0.171g Kumquat
Tryptophan 0.007mg Lychee
Lysine 0.041mg Lychee
Methionine 0.009mg Lychee

Which food is preferable for your diet?

ok
ok
is better in case of low diet
Lychee Kumquat
Low Calories diet ok
Low Fats diet ok
Low Carbs diet ok
Low Glycemic Index diet ok

People also compare

Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
24%
Lychee
19%
Kumquat
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
11%
Lychee
14%
Kumquat

Comparison summary

Which food contains less Sodium?
Lychee
Lychee contains less Sodium (difference - 9mg)
Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
Lychee
Lychee is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.004g)
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
Lychee
Lychee is lower in glycemic index (difference - 19)
Which food is lower in Sugar?
Kumquat
Kumquat is lower in Sugar (difference - 5.87g)
Which food is cheaper?
Kumquat
Kumquat is cheaper (difference - $1.3)
Which food is richer in minerals?
Kumquat
Kumquat is relatively richer in minerals
Which food contains less Cholesterol?
?
The foods are relatively equal in Cholesterol (0 mg)
Which food is richer in vitamins?
?
It cannot be stated which food is richer in vitamins. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information.

References

All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

  1. Lychee - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169086/nutrients
  2. Kumquat - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168154/nutrients

All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.