Tag: Mcpg

Lychee seeds contain potent toxic compounds, specifically hypoglycin A and its analog methylenecyclopropylglycine (MCPG), which makes them unsafe for direct consumption. The edible flesh of the fruit, however, is perfectly safe and delicious.

According to research published in *The Lancet*, outbreaks of illness linked to lychee consumption were tied to naturally occurring toxins in the fruit, which explains why you might feel dizzy after eating lychee, especially if the fruit was unripe or consumed on an empty stomach. This phenomenon, resulting in severely low blood sugar, was previously a mystery in lychee-growing regions.

According to reports, since the 1990s, annual outbreaks of a mysterious neurological illness in children have been linked to eating lychee fruit in regions of India and Vietnam. The culprit behind this phenomenon is not a virus or bacteria, but two naturally occurring toxins within the fruit itself. What is the toxin in lychee fruit? The answer lies in the potent compounds hypoglycin A and methylenecyclopropylglycine (MCPG).

According to a 2017 report in *The Lancet*, seasonal outbreaks of neurological illness, including death among children in India and Vietnam, were linked to the consumption of lychees. This was especially pronounced in malnourished children eating unripe fruit on an empty stomach, highlighting **why you shouldn't eat too many lychees** without caution.