Nutritional and health benefits of lime

Introduction

A lime is a hybrid citrus fruit, which is typically round, lime green, 3–6 centimetres in diameter, and containing acidic juice vesicles (Adrian, 2008). Limes can either be sour or sweet, although sweet lime is always very rare to come by. Sour limes possess an acidic and tart taste, while sweet limes lack citric acid content and are sweet in flavour. Limes are an excellent source of vitamin C, and are often used to accent the flavours of foods and beverages. They are grown year-round in tropical climates but the best limes are available from January to April and are usually small in size, although varieties may differ in sugar and acidic content (Rotter, 2014).

Origin/historical background of limes

Limes flourish mostly in tropical and subtropical climates. They were thought to originate in Southeast Asia. Arab traders brought lime trees back from their journey to Asia and introduced them into Egypt and Northern Africa around the 10th century. The Arabian Moors brought them to Spain in the 13th century and then, like many fruits, they were spread throughout southern Europe during the Crusades (Fortin, 2010).

To prevent scurvy during the 19th century, British sailors were issued a daily allowance of citrus, such as lemon, and later switched to lime (Keith, 2011). The use of citrus was initially a closely guarded military secret, as scurvy was a common scourge of various national navies, and the ability to remain at sea for lengthy periods without contracting the disorder was a huge benefit for the military. The British sailors thus acquired the nickname, “Limey” because of their usage of limes (Hornby, 2006). Limes were imported into Africa during the colonization of the African continent by the Europeans.

Types/varieties of limes

Limes come in difference varieties which can be classified according to their sizes, characteristic, taste and constituents. According to Wood (2011), the different varieties of limes are:

• Persian or Tahitian Limes
• Mexican or Key Limes
• Kaffir Limes
• Australian Desert Lime
• Kalamansi or Calamondin
• Rangpur Lime

1. Persian or tahitian limes: The Persian or Tahitian lime are fairly large and quite juicy, it is the most adaptable in cooking. While they have a reputation for being tart. They are easy to grow and have a thick skin, making them very suitable for packing and transport.
2. Mexican or key limes: The Key or Mexican lime is a small, round lime with a pale yellowish-green skin. Key limes are more acidic than Persian limes and have a distinctive aroma. The Key lime tree has dense foliage and many very sharp thorns, making them a less popular fruit crop than the Persian variety.
3. Kaffir limes: The Kaffir lime is unique among limes for its skin, which is pebbly or warty in texture and rich in lime oil. Unlike other limes, the Kaffir lime has very little juice. The leaves and zest are used widely in Thai cuisine.
4. Australian desert lime: The Australian desert lime is one of the smallest limes, not much larger than a marble. It is a prized “bush food” and is made into many commercial products, including marmalade and glaceed fruit.
5. Kalamansi or calamondin: Kalamansi or Calamondin which is also referred to as musk lime is a very tart lime that is widely used in Philippine cuisine. It is another very small lime, about an inch in diameter and orange in colour. It has a very thin skin which makes very perishable during storage or transportation. Because the fruit takes nearly a year to fully ripen, the tree is frequently grown as an ornamental.
6. Rangpur lime: The Rangpur lime which is also called Mandarin lime is not a true lime, as it is a hybrid of the lemon and the mandarin orange. However, because its juice is extremely acidic, it is often used as a substitute for true limes in cooking. Popular uses include pickling, candying, and being made into marmalade.

Nutritional profile of lime

(Source: USDA National Nutrient Database, 2014).

How to select and store lime for culinary usage

Selecting and storage of lime for culinary usage must be done carefully to avoid spoilage and maintain optimum Quality. According to Ensminger (2008), in culinary choose limes that are firm and heavy for their size, free of decay and mold. They should have a glossy skin that is deep green in colour. Although limes turn more yellow as they ripen, they are at the height of their lively, tart flavour when they are green in color. While brown spots on the skin of limes may not affect their colour, limes that are mostly brownish in colour should be avoided since this may be an indication that they have “scald” which may cause them to have an undesirable moldy taste (Ogata & Miyake, 2013).

Mata, Vargas and Saborio (2014) stated that limes can be kept out at room temperature where they will stay fresh for up to one week. They also advised that they should be kept them away from sunlight exposure since it will cause them to turn yellow and will alter their flavour. Limes can be stored in the refrigerator crisper, wrapped in a loosely sealed plastic bag, where they will keep fresh for about 10-14 days. While they can be kept longer than that, for another several weeks, they will begin to lose their characteristic flavour.  Ogata and Miyake (2013) added that lime juice and zest can also be stored for later use by placing freshly squeezed lime juice in ice cube trays until frozen and subsequently storing them in plastic bags in the freezer.

Nutritional and health benefits of lime

Lime is consumed throughout the world in the form of sorbet, beverages, refreshing cocktails, pickles, jams, jellies, snacks, candies, sugar boiled confections and in cooking.  The oil extracted from its peel or skin is extensively used in soft drink concentrates, body oils, cosmetic products, hair oils, toothpastes, toilet and beauty soaps, disinfectants, mouth washes, deodorants and innumerable other products.

Cho, Seddon and Rosner (2007) highlighted some of the nutritional and health benefits of lime by stating that lime helps in improving conditions related to:

1. Scurvy: Lime is very well-known as a cure for scurvy, the disease which is caused from a deficiency of vitamin-C. It is characterized by frequent infections that show as normal cold symptoms, cracked lips and lip corners, ulcers on the tongue and in the mouth. Since its cause is a deficiency of vitamin-C, its remedy is none other than vitamin-C, and lime is full of this essential vitamin.
2. Skin care:Lime juice and its natural oils are very beneficial for skin when consumed orally or applied externally. It rejuvenates the skin, keeps it shining, protects it from infections and reduces body odour due to the presence of a large amount of vitamin-C and Flavonoids. Those are both class-1 anti oxidants, and have antibiotic and disinfectant properties. When applied externally on skin, its acids scrub out the dead cells, cures dandruff, rashes, and bruises. It can also be used to create a refreshing bathing experience if its juice or oil is mixed into your bathing water.
3. Digestion:Lime has an irresistible scent which causes the mouth to water and this actually aids primary digestion (the digestive saliva floods the mouth even before an individual tastes it). The natural acidity in lime does the rest. While they break down of the macro molecules of the food, the Flavonoids, the compounds found in the fragrant oils extracted from lime, stimulate the digestive system and increase secretion of digestive juices, bile and acids. This flood of flavonoids also stimulates the peristaltic motion.
4. Constipation:Primarily, the ample amount of acids present in lime helps clear the excretory system by washing and cleaning off the tracts, just as some acids are used to clean floors and toilets. The roughage in lime is also helpful in easing constipation, but the most beneficial element is the high acidity.
5. Diabetes: Limes and other citrus fruits are considered a diabetes super food for a number of reasons. Mainly, the high levels of soluble fibre found in limes make it an ideal dietary aid to help regulate the body’s absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, reducing the occurrence of blood sugar spikes that are a serious risk to diabetic patients. Also, limes and other citrus fruits have a low glycemic index, which means that they will not cause unexpected spikes in glucose levels, in addition to the benefits of soluble fibre’s effect.
6. Heart disease: That same soluble fibre which can help diabetics maintain their blood sugar levels can also lower blood pressure and eliminate the presence of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol). Furthermore, soluble fibre can cut down on inflammation of the blood vessels, which is a known preventative measure against heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes.
7. Peptic ulcer: In addition to vitamin-C, lime contains special compounds called Flavonoids (Limonoids such as Limonin Glucoside) which have antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, antibiotic and detoxifying properties that stimulate the healing process of peptic and oral ulcers.
8. Respiratory disorders: The flavonoid-rich oil that is extracted from limes is extensively used in anti-congestive medicines such as balms, vapourizers, and inhalers due to the presence of Kaempferol. Just scratching the peel of a lime and inhaling it gives immediate relief for congestion and nausea.
9. Arthritis: One of the many causes of arthritis is an excess of uric acid that builds up in the body. Uric acid is one of the waste products that normal urination will clear out of the body, but unfortunately, when too much builds up, it can make the pain and inflammation from arthritis even worse. The citric acid found in citrus fruits like limes is a solvent in which uric acid can dissolve, increasing the amounts that are eliminated in the urine. Citrus fruits in general have anti-inflammatory properties, and can be used for a number of inflammation issues.
10. Fever: Citrus fruits in general have fever-reducing qualities, and if the fever is very high, the patient’s diet should be restricted to lemon juice and water. However, if the fever is mild to moderate, other fruit juices, particularly citrus juices like lime juice, can be administered in order to bring the fever back a manageable level. Vitamin-C, found in high concentrations in citrus fruits, naturally lowers the temperature of the body.

Conclusion/recommendations

From the above-mentioned nutritional and health benefits of lime, the importance of its consumption cannot be over-emphasized, based on these, the following recommendations are made:

• There should adequate awareness by nutritionists and dietitians for people to know the importance of limes to their health.
• People should be encouraged to consumed lime on a daily basis to improve their health status.
• Difference recipes of lime should be made by individuals to fine out different ways of enjoying limes.

References

Adrian, R. (2008). A dictionary of true etymologies. California: Taylor & Francis.

Cho, E., Seddon, J.M. & Rosner, B. (2007). Prospective study of intake of fruits, vegetables, vitamins, and carotenoids and risk of age-related maculopathy. Arch Ophthalmol. 122(6),883-92.

Ensminger, A. H. (2008). Food for Health: A Nutrition Encyclopedia. California: Pegus Press.

Fortin, F. (2010). The Visual Foods Encyclopedia. New York: Macmillan Inc.

Hornby, A. S. (2006). Oxford Advanced Learners’ Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Keith, O. (2011). History of Medicine: State of knowledge about scurvy. Edinburg: Appleton Books.

Mata, L., Vargas, C. & Saborio, D. (2014). Extinction of Vibrio cholerae in acidic substrata: contaminated cabbage and lettuce treated with lime juice. Rev Biol Trop 42(3):487-92.

Ogata, S. & Miyake, Y. (2013). Apoptosis induced by the flavonoid from lime fruit and its metabolites in HL-60 cells. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 64(5):1075-8.

Rotter, B. (2014) “Fruit Data: Yield, Sugar, Acidity, Tannin”. Manual on Improved Winemaking 3:25-9.

US Department of Agriculture, National Nutrient Database (2014). Nutritional values for limes. New York: USDA.

Wood, R. (2011). The Whole Foods Encyclopedia. New York: Prentice-Hall Press.