They’re dietary powerhouses — excessive in vitamin C, antioxidants, and different vitamins.
There are numerous species of limes just like the Key lime (Citrus aurantifolia), Persian lime (Citrus latifolia), desert lime (Citrus glauca) and kaffir lime (Citrus hystrix).
Every of those species has distinctive traits. As an example, the Key lime is smaller, extra acidic, and extra fragrant than the extra widespread Persian sort.
In america, Persian limes are essentially the most generally out there sort.
As a result of limes are loaded with vitamins, they could assist enhance your immunity, scale back coronary heart illness threat elements, forestall kidney stones, support iron absorption, and promote wholesome pores and skin.
This text offers an summary of the dietary advantages of limes, in addition to their makes use of and potential uncomfortable side effects.
Lime diet details
Although small, limes are loaded with vitamins — significantly vitamin C.
One entire, medium lime (67 grams) offers (1):
Limes additionally comprise small quantities of riboflavin, niacin, folate, phosphorus, and magnesium.
Well being advantages of limes
Consuming lime fruit or consuming lime juice offers quite a lot of well being advantages.
Good supply of antioxidants
Antioxidants are vital compounds that defend your cells in opposition to molecules known as free radicals. In excessive quantities, free radicals can harm your cells, and this harm has been linked to continual situations like coronary heart illness, diabetes, and lots of varieties of most cancers (2).
Limes are excessive in energetic compounds that operate as antioxidants in your physique, together with flavonoids, limonoids, kaempferol, quercetin, and ascorbic acid (3, 4).
Might enhance immunity
Limes are excessive in vitamin C, a nutrient that will assist enhance your immune system.
In test-tube research, vitamin C helped improve the manufacturing of white blood cells, which assist shield your physique in opposition to infections and illness (5).
In human research, taking vitamin C helped shorten the length and severity of colds (6).
Additionally, vitamin C might assist wounds get well sooner by decreasing irritation and stimulating collagen manufacturing. Collagen is an important protein that aids wound restore (7, 8).
In addition to vitamin C, limes are additionally an incredible supply of antioxidants, which assist strengthen your immune system by defending cells in opposition to free radical harm (2).
Might promote wholesome pores and skin
Limes have a number of properties that will promote wholesome pores and skin.
First, they’re excessive in vitamin C, which is critical to make collagen, a protein that retains your pores and skin agency and robust. A medium lime (67 grams) offers over 20% of the RDI for this nutrient (1, 9).
As an example, one examine in over 4,000 ladies discovered that those that ate extra vitamin C had a decrease threat of wrinkles and dry pores and skin as they aged (10).
Second, limes are excessive in antioxidants, which can assist fight age-related pores and skin modifications.
Oxidative stress is a situation ensuing from an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in your physique. It could possibly result in indicators of untimely getting older.
A mouse examine discovered that consuming a citrus drink positively affected a few of these indicators by decreasing wrinkles and growing collagen manufacturing, for instance (11).
Might scale back coronary heart illness threat
Coronary heart illness is the main reason for demise worldwide (12).
Analysis reveals that limes could scale back a number of coronary heart illness threat elements.
For starters, limes are excessive in vitamin C, which can assist decrease hypertension, a significant threat issue for coronary heart illness (13).
Additionally, vitamin C could shield in opposition to atherosclerosis — a illness during which plaque builds up in your arteries, making them too slim (14).
An animal examine discovered that feeding rabbits lime peels and juice helped decelerate the development of atherosclerosis (15).
Might forestall kidney stones
Kidney stones are small mineral crystals which might be usually painful to go.
They will kind inside your kidneys when your urine may be very concentrated or when you may have excessive ranges of stone-forming minerals, comparable to calcium, in your urine (16).
Citrus fruits like limes are excessive in citric acid, which can forestall kidney stones by elevating ranges of citrate and binding stone-forming minerals within the urine (17).
One examine discovered that individuals who ate extra citrus fruits had a considerably decrease threat of kidney stones (18).
Will increase iron absorption
Iron is an important nutrient wanted to make purple blood cells and transport oxygen round your physique.
Low blood iron ranges could cause iron deficiency anemia. Indicators of iron deficiency anemia embody fatigue, hassle respiration throughout train, paleness, and dry pores and skin and hair (19).
Individuals on a vegan or vegetarian eating regimen are at a better threat of iron deficiency anemia, as plant-based merchandise comprise a type of iron that isn’t as nicely absorbed because the iron from meat and different animal merchandise (20).
Meals excessive in vitamin C, comparable to limes, could assist forestall iron deficiency anemia by enhancing the absorption of iron from plant-based meals.
As an example, one examine in individuals following a vegetarian eating regimen discovered that consuming a glass of lemonade (8.5 ounces or 250 ml) alongside a plant-based meal elevated iron absorption by as much as 70% (21).
Might decrease your threat of sure cancers
Most cancers is a illness characterised by irregular cell progress.
Citrus fruits have compounds which have been linked to a decrease threat of sure cancers (22).
Particularly, flavonoids — which act as antioxidants — could assist cease the expression of genes that promote most cancers development (23).
What’s extra, test-tube research point out that citrus fruits could suppress the expansion or unfold of colon, throat, pancreas, breast, bone marrow, lymphomas, and different most cancers cells (3, 24, 25, 26).
How you can use limes
There are countless methods to make use of limes inside and outdoors your kitchen.
They’re valued for his or her juice and the floral aroma of their zest — which is one cause why they’re thought-about a staple ingredient in Southeast Asian and Mexican delicacies.
In different elements of the world — like India — limes are sometimes pickled to extend their shelf life after which added to dishes for a taste enhance.
Lime zest and juice are widespread substances in desserts and baked items, comparable to Key lime pie, cookies, and ice cream.
This citrus fruit will also be utilized in savory dishes and so as to add taste to each alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Exterior your kitchen, limes are used as a pure cleansing agent and to neutralize odors. Some research present that they’ve antimicrobial properties (27, 28).
Lime juice could be combined with vinegar and water and used as a floor spray for a non-toxic cleansing choice.
Limes can be found at grocery shops — usually discovered subsequent to lemons and different citrus fruits. Select the citrus fruits that really feel heavy for his or her measurement, are vivid in shade, and have minimal discoloration.
Potential uncomfortable side effects
Limes are typically protected to devour with little to no uncomfortable side effects.
Nonetheless, for those who’re allergic to different citrus fruits, keep away from limes as they will trigger meals allergy signs, comparable to swelling, hives, and respiration difficulties. If this happens, search medical assist instantly.
Moreover, some individuals could expertise acid reflux disease from consuming limes or consuming the juice as a result of its acidity. Different digestive signs could embody heartburn, nausea, vomiting, and issue swallowing.
Limes are very acidic and greatest loved moderately. Consuming many limes can improve your threat of cavities, because the acid in limes — and different citrus fruits — can erode tooth enamel (29).
To guard your enamel, make sure you rinse your mouth with plain water after consuming limes or consuming the juice.
In some instances, making use of limes on to your pores and skin could make it extra delicate to the solar’s UV rays and trigger irritation. This is named phytophotodermatitis (30, 31).
The underside line – “vitamin c in lime”
Limes are excessive in vitamin C and antioxidants — each of which can supply well being advantages.
Consuming limes or consuming the juice could enhance immunity, scale back coronary heart illness threat elements, forestall kidney stones, support iron absorption, and promote wholesome pores and skin.
Keep away from limes for those who’re allergic to citrus fruit.Nonetheless, for most individuals, these citrus fruits are a wholesome and versatile addition to a balanced eating regimen — so strive incorporating limes into your recipes to reap their spectacular well being advantages.