Wet leeches of nutrient-rich because it contains vitamin C and potassium levels high. Substances that are present in leeches can prevent and treat various diseases, among others, coughs, ulcers, and hypertension.
Fruit leeches (Litchi chine sis Son) derived from Kwantung and Fukien province in Southern China. In 1873 this plant spread to Hawaii, then to Florida, USA, in 1883. Kwantung and Fukien province in China known as the largest producer of fruit leeches, followed by India and other countries.
In Indonesia, the plant has not been so popular leeches. However, because of its unique taste and high economic value, these plants have also begun to try cultivated in Bali (Gianyar, Tabanan, and Bandung) and Cianjur.
Leeched is a subtropical plant belonging to the family Sapindaceae or soapberry. Known by several terms, such as litchi, litchi, Lichee, laichi, Leechee, or lychee. Lychees fruit has a high selling price, both in fresh condition or in processed form.
Solid Sugar
Water content in the fruit leeches high enough, which is around 77 to 83 percent, its energy level reaches 66 kcal per 100 grams. Most of the energy derived from carbohydrates (sugars), amounting to 59.5 kcal, the rest from protein and fat in a row by 2.8 kcal and 3.7 kcal. Carbohydrate content is high in fruit leeches (16.53 g fruit per 100 g) consisting of various types of sugar.
Leeches abundance of sucrose and glucose, so eating fruit leeches at night can increase energy reserves for the next day. Sugars contained in leeches varied depending on the variety, but generally reach 10-13 percent. Leeched is also a source of dietary fiber (dietary fiber) are decent, which is about 1.3 g per 100 g of fruit flesh.
Fat content is very low in fruit leeches, so it is good to be consumed by all age groups, including those who are dieting to maintain or lose weight. Therefore, there is no limit how many leeches should be consumed per day.
Vitamin C and Potassium
the most prominent vitamin leeches in fruit is vitamin C content of 71.5 mg per 100 grams of flesh. By eating 100 grams of fruit leeches, was able to meet the needs of more than 100 percent of vitamin C a day.
Vitamin C is a very useful natural antioxidants to fight free radical attack, causes premature aging, cancer and other diseases. Based on this belief, nowadays a lot of vitamin C added to the variety of processed food products.
The dominant minerals in fruit leeches are potassium 171 mg, phosphorus 31 mg, 10 mg of magnesium, and calcium 5 mg. Despite the low levels, leeches also contain iron, zinc, copper, sodium, selenium, and other minerals.
Calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium are a triad of important minerals for bone formation and framework of a normal body, so it is required of children who are in the growth period and also by adults to inhibit the rate of osteoporosis.
Copper was one mineral antioxidant. This mineral deficiency can disrupt the body’s normal mechanisms to eliminate free radicals that are constantly being formed in the body.
Mineral copper (Cu) can form complexes with antioxidant enzyme system Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), which plays a role in neutralizing superoxide radicals.
It is very interesting from leeches mineral composition is the ratio between potassium (K) and sodium (Na) are very high, ie 171:1. This is certainly very beneficial for processed foods we consume daily are generally containing high Na, but very low K. That matter, which led to the increasing number of hypertensive patients in Indonesia.
Potassium (also known as potassium), a very important role in improving the regularity of heart rate, activating muscle contractions, regulating delivery of other nutrients to the cells of the body, control fluid balance in the body tissue, as well as lowering high blood pressure (hypertension). Accordingly, lamentable if the food processing process often resulted in low ratio of potassium to sodium, due to the use of table salt and MSG (flavor) is excessive.
High consumption of food is expected to offset the high K Na due to the consumption of foods containing MSG and a lot of salt. The ratio of Na and K in everyday food that is recommended is 1:1.
Acid levels in fruit leeches reach 0, 20-0, and 64 percent. The most dominant type of acid was malic acid which reached 80 percent, while 20 percent of the remainder consisting of citric acid, succinic, levulinat, phosphate, glutamate, malonate, and lactic acid. Combination of sugar and various types of acid causes the leeches have a sweet taste and refreshing.
Treat Cough and Stomach Injury
In the history of medicine, fruit, and leeches are believed to treat a cough and also have beneficial effects for the Cure gastralgia, tumor, and enlargement of the gland.
It has been reported that administration of fresh leeches in Florida, can heal ulcers, so patients who previously disturbed can again enjoy the delicious food. The exact cause of this has not been determined scientifically.
Just as litchi and apricot fruit, leeches fruits also belong to the fruit that was cold (as most mature in the cold), so it is very suitable group of people who consumed his body weak cold.
Vital energy and spleen they mostly weak, low metabolism, essentially, her body produces less energy, feet and hands also feel cold on a hot day though. Their faces were whiter than ordinary people, and rarely feel thirsty, and do not like to eat cold food. Fruits are very beneficial to their heat.
