Dawson Times

Try something different. Add a little lychee to your fruit salad. Not only will it add an exotic tickle for your taste buds, but it will tickle your ticker, too.

When scientists recently measured the heart-helping polyphenol content of fruits popular in France, lychees were bested only by strawberries. Grapes came in third.

The Top 10
Who would have thought lychees -- cultivated in China -- would become a fave fruit in France? But the top polyphenol-spiked fruits there, in order, are: strawberries, lychees, grapes, apricots, apples, dates, cherries, figs, pears, and white nectarines. (Here’s how polyphenols help prevent heart disease.) The small, heart-shaped red fruit is now going global and making an appearance in U.S. markets, too, especially during the summer. (Check out EatingWell’s simple instructions for turning a lychee into a frozen treat.)

Two More for Your Ticker
In addition to impressive amounts of polyphenols, lychees also have heart-smart vitamin C and potassium. (Find out what this mighty mineral does for your blood pressure.)

Think you’re getting all the nutrients you need? See if your meals make the grade with this nutrition assessment.

RealAge Benefit: Eating 5 servings of fruit a day can make your RealAge 1.4 years younger.

Source:  RealAge.com