Facts about Limes
Limes are little, oval citrus with smooth and porous skin. The color of lime ranges from medium to light green, often having a minor yellow cast. Lemons and limes look alike, but limes are green and smaller.
Lime plants are thorny, evergreen shrubs that get to a height of 15-20 feet. Leaves of lime are small, light green, and oval in shape. Flowers of lime are white and fragrant, measured at approximately an inch in diameter.
Lime Varieties
You may find 2 major varieties of limes, Key (Mexican) and Bearss (Persian).
- The big, green, seedless limes seen in supermarkets are the Tahiti or Persian Limes (Citrus latifolia). The variety is a crossbreed produced in the beginning of 20th century. The Persian Lime is bigger compared to Key Lime, more immune to pests and diseases, and contains a thicker peel. They are harvested slightly unripe; when they are green in color (the fruit becomes yellow once completely ripen, and can be mistaken with lemons).
- Key Limes, meanwhile, are small, slightly bigger than a walnut, oval and having a thin yellowish skin. Key Limes are fragrant and extremely juicy, having a stronger and more acidic taste compared to Persian Limes. The trees are 7-8 feet in height, shrubby, thorny and crooked, with glossy green leaves.
Both Key and Persian Limes contain a higher citric acid and sugar level than lemons, with Key limes higher in acid level compared to Persian limes.
Health Benefits of Limes
Limes are abundant with loads of health benefits:
- Have a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice an hour before mealtime to relieve asthma.
- Apply a sliced lime on the burning foot, heel or sole to ease pain and eliminate toxin via the pores of your feet.
- The powerful anti-viral properties of lime can eliminate cholera bacilli in just a very short time. Consume one part lime juice with one part drinking water on a regular basis, especially throughout an epidemic.
- The lime has anti-viral properties that fight infections and stop the advancement of a common cold. Have the fresh juice of two limes in 500 ml of warm water and add honey to taste. Drink it before going to bed.
- Consume a glass of warm drinking water in morning hours together with some lime juice and honey. Mix in a little cinnamon powder. This helps your body detoxify and ease constipation.
- The lime juice offers incredible digestive properties that are akin to our enzymes. Therefore it helps with digestive function and reduce bloating and belching.
- Immediately after a tough day on both of your feet, bathe them in really warm water with the lime juice to take pleasure from the cooling, astringent sensation. This may also promote deep sleep as a result of relaxing activity of the nerves of your feet.
- Consume a glass of lime juice together with a little sea salt to ease the pain due to swollen gums. Make use of the albedo (the white-colored matter in the peel) of the squeezed lime and subsequently apply on the gum area.
- Include 2 teaspoon of pure lime juice in a glass of warm drinking water and sip to ease heartburn.
- While the lime juice are sour, it is in fact extremely alkalinizing in your body and is impressive in the therapy for inflammatory disorders such as sciatica, arthritis and rheumatism. It also helps prevent the accumulation of uric acid in your body tissues, thereby lowering the potential risks of gout.
- Rub the rind of a lime on dry skin to revive softness and improve moisture of your skin.
- Blend one part lime juice with another part drinking water. Gargle regularly and experience the soothing feeling on your throat. You can also include a little sea salt for better result.
Lime Calories and Nutritional Values
Nutritional Value of 1 Fruit (67.0 g)
|
| Calories |
20 |
| Total Fat |
0.1 g |
| Cholesterol |
0 mg |
| Sodium |
1 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates |
7.1 g |
| Dietary Fiber |
1.9 g |
| Sugars |
1.1 g |
| Protein |
0.5 g |
How to Choose and Store Limes?
- The rind of the lime has to be in light yellow and finely grained, just like leather.
- Refrain from choosing limes with signs of decay, mold or having brown spots. Do not purchase if the rind of the lime becomes hard or shriveled.
How to Store Limes?
- Store limes at 40-45°F for no more than 2 weeks.
- Frozen lime juice keeps for about 2-3 months.
- Bottled lime juice can be purchased with ease. However the quality is not as good as the fresh one.
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