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Not eating litchis properly can be lethal, says study
Posted on: 08/Feb/2017 10:03:01 AM
A study conducted by scientists from the US and India has shown that litchis, while being rich in Vitamin C, should not be eaten on an empty stomach. Also, skipping a meal after eating the fruit might not be advisable as litchi contains a toxin, called methylenecyclopropylglycine (MCPG), that can drastically bring down the blood sugar level, especially in children, making it lethal for them.
The study showed the dangerous combination of eating litchi on an empty stomach and skipping meal could result in acute low blood glucose level and lead to encephalopathy, a condition that altered brain functions, causing convulsions, coma and in some cases, death.
Speaking about this, the researchers from the Institute of Child Health said, The toxin present in litchi is also present in a fruit, called cake. In Malda, children died of what was popularly called the litchi syndrome, which caused some kind of encephalitis. Children are more susceptible because of their low glucose reserve. Despite the toxin, the fruit itself is not harmful. It does not have a similar effect on all. Besides MCPG, another toxin called, hypoglycin A, is present in litchi.
The two together pulls down the blood glucose level, especially in kids, and those who are malnourished. Skipping the evening meal itself is known to deplete the blood sugar level at night. So, under-nourished kids, who skip evening meals after having litchi, are the most susceptible to disruption of fatty acid metabolism. Unripe litichis also have a high level of pesticides, which is also harmful. We need to find out if the toxin levels are the same for all soil condition.
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