Introduction:

Limes — Two limes and and a sliced-up lime

I’m a big fan of Lime and its family. It gives our bodies ample Vitamin C and is used in recipes like Lime Cordial, mojitos, sharbat, pickles, pies, and fudge. And now that summer has arrived, and I’ve already included lime into my diet, I can’t wait to share the information I’ve learned about the citrus cuisine that I can’t get enough of.

About:

Lime is a citrus fruit that is frequently used to add flavor to meals. They’re used a lot in Mexican, Vietnamese, and Thai cooking. The most widely used lime variety in cooking is the Tahitian or Persian lime. Key limes are smaller, rounder, and more acidic than Tahitian limes, and are famous for being used in the classic treat Key Lime pie. Limes are typically smaller and less acidic than lemons and are grown year-round in tropical settings.

The Key lime (Citrus aurantifolia), Persian lime (Citrus latifolia), desert lime (Citrus glauca), and makrut lime (Citrus glauca) are only a few examples of the lime species. Each of these species has its distinct traits. For example, The Key lime is smaller, more acidic, and more fragrant than the prevalent Persian lime. And Persian limes are the most widely accessible in the United States.

Limes also help increase immunity, reduce heart disease risk factors, avoid kidney stones, aid iron absorption, and promote good skin since they are high in nutrients. Because lime is such a readily available fruit with numerous health benefits, I’ve written an article specifically for you, outlining various fascinating facts about it that will probably make you love this citric fruit more!

20 Facts on Lime:

Limes are different from lemons:

The only similarity between Lime and Lemon is that they both are sour and acidic. Other than both of them are quite different from each other. Lemons are more versatile since they have a sweeter flavor, whereas limes are best used when you require a strong sour, acidic kick.

When ripe, several lime species are truly yellow:

Limes are green, whereas lemons are yellow, according to most people. However, it turns out that this isn’t always the case. When fully mature, the Persian lime, for example, becomes yellow. As a result, it’s not usually found in markets because it’s mistaken for lemons. Rather, it is employed for the majority of commercial objectives.

Limes are the origin of Southeast Asia:

Even though the exact origin of limes is unknown, wild limes are thought to have originated in Indonesia or Southeast Asia and were then carried to the Mediterranean region and North Africa around 1000 CE.

Limes became popular thanks to Columbus:

On his second expedition to the West Indies in 1493, Christopher Columbus brought citrus seeds, most likely including limes, and the trees quickly spread throughout the West Indies, Mexico, and Florida.

Lime trees are tiny:

Lime is a tiny tree that typically develops to about 16 feet tall.

Has a shrub an appearance:

The many, uneven branches with numerous short twigs give lime a shrub-like appearance. Lime can be prickly in some varieties.

Lime flowers are fragrant:

Limes have little white or yellow flowers that are star-shaped. The flowers are aromatic and often grouped in clusters.

Has innumerable uses:

Lime is used in limeade, as well as a variety of alcoholic and nonalcoholic cocktails and beverages. Lime juice and zest are frequently utilized in the making of meat marinades (juice softens the meat and improves the flavor of cooked meals). Lime zest is used in a variety of pies. Pickled lime is a common ingredient in Indian cuisine. In Australia, lime marmalade is very popular. In South and East Asia, lime leaves are eaten.

Mutate with other species:

The main problem with trying to classify limes by species is that they’re always mutating. Different lime species regularly mingle with other lime species, resulting in an ever-increasing number of unique lime species.

Lime use was previously a British military trade secret:

There was a problem that prevented sailors from spending long periods at sea back in the days when the world’s great nations still traveled the oceans in ships with sails. This issue was scurvy, a previously unknown disease that effectively began to break down your body piece by piece if you didn’t have enough vitamin C in your diet. To combat this, the British Navy rationed citrus to its sailors. They started with lemons, but eventually shifted to limes.

The fascinating secret of a Lime native to Australia:

When the Australian finger lime (Citrus australasica) is plucked from the tree, it doesn’t appear to be very interesting. It’s about 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm) long and fairly thin, with an unattractive appearance. But once you cut it, you’re in for a treat! The lime juice is held in little pearl-shaped vessels that easily pop out of the skin.

Limes are extremely beneficial to your health:

Limes aren’t just beneficial for preventing scurvy; they also have a slew of other health advantages. To begin with, both the juice and the skin are packed with antioxidants. For example, the Kaffir lime has also been discovered to have antibacterial qualities, making it particularly effective against E. coli (the bacteria that causes food poisoning).

India was once, one of the top producers of Lime:

In 2007, India was the world’s biggest lime producer, accounting for 16 percent of global production, or around 2 million tonnes (2,271,000 tonnes) (14,365,000 tons) limes.

UV rays + lime juice can blister your skin:

The skin of a person who has touched lime juice can become blistered, inflamed, or darker in color when exposed to ultraviolet light.

Oils extracted from Lime are used in the cosmetic industry:

The cosmetic industry uses essential oils extracted from lime to make scents. Lime’s citrus-rich aroma is appealing, and it’s frequently utilized in the production of washing products and aromatherapy.

Has quite a long lifespan:

Lime is a perennial plant that can live for more than ten years.

Contains less Vitamin C as compared to lemon:

Lime is high in dietary fiber as well as vitamin C. But it has four times the amount of vitamin C as a lemon.

Propagation that is true to type:

Cuttings grafted onto the roots of a different type are used to propagate most edible fruit tree species. This is a type of clonal propagation, which implies that the seed from the fruit of the resulting tree will not develop a tree that produces the same fruit. In most cases, the resulting fruit is of poor quality. Limes, on the other hand, are one of the few fruit trees that germinate from seed, making them easy to propagate at home. Lime trees can also be propagated by cuttings, but cuttings tend to produce less vigorous trees than other ways.

Names’ Meanings:

When it comes to limes, many names are used interchangeably, however, there are two sorts of limes. Tahitian limes were named after the island of Tahiti, although they are believed to have originated in the Middle East, which is why they are also known as Persian limes. They have widely labeled “Bearss” limes in nurseries, even though botanists do not recognize “Bearss” as a unique cultivar. Mexican limes are also known as West Indian limes and Key limes, after the Florida Keys, where they were originally commercially planted.