Longan

If You Read Nothing Else

Close relative of lychee, milder and less perfumed.

Name means "dragon eye" is the seed shows through the flesh.

Sold fresh in bunches, or dried like a raisin.

Crack the thin tan shell and you'll find clear, jelly-like flesh wrapped around one shiny dark seed.

Known to botanists as Dimocarpus longan.

What Else to Know

Longan is one of the easiest tropical fruits to eat. You need no knife, make almost no mess, and even a whole bunch carries a modest amount of sugar.

Fresh longan gives you vitamin C and copper for relatively few calories, and both support blood vessels and connective tissue. The dried fruit is much sweeter, so it's worth treating like a sweet.