What is lime useful for and what can be done with it

Citrus fruits are in demand all over the world. They are valued for their taste and useful properties. Among the variety of these crops, lemons and limes are the most popular. Useful properties of lime fruit depend on its composition and degree of ripeness.

Lime is a fruit or vegetable

Lime belongs to the Rut family, genetically this fruit is similar to lemon, but has distinctive features in several ways.

Limes are used for desserts, pastries, marinating meat and poultry. Due to its use as an additive to second courses, citrus is sometimes called a vegetable. Supporting this view is the use of lime in guacamole, the classic Mexican second course sauce. The fruit is combined with seafood and is one of the essential elements of Asian soup.

Despite these signs, lime is classified as a fruit. A fruit is any fruit of a tree that has juiciness. This is not a botanical term, but a concept that is used in an economic sense. Limes are the citrus fruits of fruit trees.

The confusion with lime designations may be due to the etymology of the word. Until the XNUMXth century all fruits were called vegetables, the word “fruit” simply did not exist. The situation changed over time, when information became available, the level of education increased.

What does a lime look like

Lime grows on a low lime tree, the branches of which form a dense crown of dark green leaves. The leaves are covered with a light waxy coating, and spines form in their axils, which often interfere with the manual collection of fruits.

Lime trees love tropical climates with damp soil and moist air. Their homeland is considered a large peninsula in East Asia. The most extensive lime plantations are located in India, Sri Lanka, Brazil, and Mexico.

Citrus is one of the remontant crops, that is, it has the ability to repeatedly bloom and bear fruit. Flowers are formed on the axils of leaf plates, one inflorescence can form from 1 to 7 single flowers of white and pale cream color. The peculiarity of culture lies in the ability to bear fruit throughout the year. However, the main harvest falls on the period when the rainy season begins to come to an end.

Fruit Description:

• size: from 3 to 6,5 cm;
• weight: from 50 to 200 g;
• shape: oval, ovoid;
• color: the peel has a light green saturated shade;
• flesh: shade lighter than the color of the skin, the pulp of the fruit is juicy, contains oblong seeds.

What does lime taste like

The taste of the fruit distinguishes it from its closest relative, the lemon. Lime is characterized by the usual citrus sourness, but there is bitterness, which makes it especially compatible with seafood.

There are hybrid varieties of lime, which are bred by breeding.

The blood lime, which grows in Australia, has a sweet and sour taste and is used mainly for making cocktail drinks.

Lemoname is a light yellow hybrid with a low content of ascorbic acid. Sweet limes are specially bred fruits that are low in vitamin C but high in sucrose.

The chemical composition of lime

The benefits and harms of lime for health can be discussed after analyzing its composition. A small fruit is rich in useful substances that can be divided into main groups.

In addition, citrus pulp contains saturated palmitic and stearic acids, as well as fatty linoleic and oleic acids. The pulp fibers contain fiber, water and sucrose.

Benefits of lime for the body

The main beneficial properties of the fruit are determined by its composition:

1. Ascorbic acid with potassium increase the elasticity of blood vessels, which has a positive effect on the activity of the heart muscle, contributes to the normalization of blood flow.
2. Macronutrients are responsible for the additional production of collagen, which is necessary for the body as a blocker of the aging process.
3. Vitamin-mineral complex stabilizes the activity of protective forces, increases immunity, helps to cope with inflammation and infections.
4. The content of fiber, vitamins and essential oils has a beneficial effect on the digestive processes, increases the ability to absorb nutrients and remove harmful substances.
5. Substances that perform the function of antioxidants are involved in the processes of vision normalization.
6. Glycoside and flavonoids are considered prophylactic agents in the fight against predisposition to cancer.
7. Essential oils have a calming effect: gently influencing the nervous system, they relieve the symptoms of irritability.
8. The trace elements contained in the pulp help to improve overall well-being.

The benefits of lime for the body are directly related to the way it is prepared. The fruit is suitable as an additive to drinks, meals, as well as daily juice intake. It is prescribed in the treatment of scurvy, a disease associated with iron deficiency.

In addition, the fruit is used as an external remedy. Squeezed fresh lime juice is taken as the basis for compresses, lotions, or cosmetics with a therapeutic effect are prepared with it.

Benefits of lime for women

The effects on the woman’s body are based on some features of the fruit:

• ascorbic acid and potassium have an effective effect on the condition of the veins, so women who include lime in their diet do not suffer from varicose veins;
• the components of the composition are also able to improve hormonal levels, which is especially noticeable during the period of premenstrual syndrome, as well as after the onset of menopause;
• B vitamins actively affect the strengthening of nails, the condition of the skin of the face and hair growth;
• amino acids support metabolic processes, which contributes to faster burning of excess calories: this mechanism is especially important for women who are concerned about maintaining harmony;
• flavonoids and essential oils of citrus help stimulate the production of collagen, which moisturizes the skin, making it radiant and toned;
• as a component of external products, lime is valued by women for its properties to whiten the skin, eliminate age spots.

Lime flavor is often the basis of aromatic products. Based on it, a perfume with refreshing notes is created, and aroma candles and massage oils are also made. Essential oils have a beneficial effect on overall well-being.

Benefits of lime for men

Citrus fruit is useful for men during periods of emotional overstrain, work stress. Essential oils promote relaxation. In addition, the components of the composition normalize the full functioning of the reproductive system. This effect becomes possible with the regular use of water with lime, juice diluted with liquid, or pulp without heat treatment.

Useful properties of lime for children

Lime as a fruit often attracts young children, but its sour taste is not always pleasant. It begins to be introduced into the children’s diet in the absence of pediatric indications from 3 to 4 years. In this case, the juice is diluted with water, the pulp is sprinkled with sugar. It is a natural source of vitamin C for the child’s body. In addition, it contains the daily requirement of vitamin D, which is important for children throughout the period of growth of bones and teeth.

Contraindications to the use of lime

Lime’s health benefits, its demand as a fruit or an additional ingredient in modern dishes can lead to health problems if consumed despite restrictions.

Lime will not do any good:

• for those who suffer from stomach diseases associated with high acidity, amino acids and ascorbic acid in the composition of the fruit irritate the walls of the stomach, which, in turn, leads to excessive secretion of gastric juice;
• persons prone to allergic reactions to citrus fruits: this fruit can cause one of the most complex and common forms of allergy;
• people with sensitive gums or broken tooth enamel.

How to choose a lime

When taking a fruit, the degree of its ripeness, as well as the condition of the peel and pulp, is important. In countries with a temperate or temperate continental climate, limes can be found on the shelves of supermarkets or fruit and vegetable stores.

You have to choose suitable instances from what the exporters represent. During transportation, limes usually ripen on the road and reach the consumer moderately ripe, but due to improper transportation or storage, the fruit can easily deteriorate. In order to get the maximum benefit from a lime, you need to choose the right fruit. You can determine this by external signs:

• the peel should be even, without cracks, punctures;
• there should be no dry, white or black spots on the surface of the lime;
• with light pressure, the fruit should be elastic, but not soft;
• a ripe lime gives off a subtle citrus aroma, while an unripe lime does not smell at all.

If the fruit was purchased slightly unripe, you can put it on the shelf and wait for the onset of full ripeness. To speed up the process, you can put yellow bananas next to the lime. They release ethylene, which helps soften the tissues of the fruit and more actively ripen its fibers.

How to eat lime fruit

To get the most out of taking lime, some rules are followed when preparing it:

• lime is not subjected to heat treatment, which can destroy the structure and deprive the fruit of useful properties;
• to spice up a dish or enhance its flavors, lime is added last;
• freshly squeezed juice is not drunk concentrated, it is diluted with water in different proportions.

The fruit is not recommended to be consumed on an empty stomach, although this rule does not apply to lime water, which has beneficial properties.

Before going to bed, you should not get carried away with lime tea, so as not to provoke a diuretic effect, although a chamomile drink with a lime wedge will have a calming effect.

The main rule when using lime is to control compliance with the allowable norm of the fruit.

Can you eat lime peel?

Lime peel is thinner than lemon peel. It contains useful substances, and, despite the fact that the taste may be bitter, it can be eaten. The peel is usually consumed along with the pulp or the zest is used.

Lime zest can be stored in the refrigerator for several months and used as needed.

What can you eat lime with?

Lime is a versatile citrus fruit that is added to drinks, desserts, main courses.

Examples of using lime pulp, juice or zest:

• citrus-based sauces for baked fish, grilled steak;
• adding juice and pulp to seafood soups;
• pastries with pulp, zest and juice (classic lime pie from shortcrust pastry);

  

• preparation of drinks (mojitos, lemonades, Mai Tai cocktail);
• segments can be ingredients in fruit and vegetable salads;
• zest and juice are used for salad dressings and marinades.

What can be done with lime

To properly prepare a lime and enjoy the aroma and taste of citrus, it is not subjected to deep heat treatment. On the basis of agar-agar, lime marmalade is made. To do this, use segments and freshly squeezed fruit juice.

Lime can be frozen by cutting into slices. After thawing, the beneficial properties of the fruit will remain the same. Freshly squeezed juice is also stored in the freezer; after defrosting, it becomes less concentrated. Many housewives freeze juice in ice cubes. This method allows you to use lime juice in portions and store it for 5-6 months; in terms of benefits, it is not inferior to freshly squeezed. The zest is stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for 2-3 months. Used for cooking as needed. If you divide the pulp into segments and fill it with warm jelly, you get a luxurious dessert, popular in France.

Juice is the main component of the marinade when making ceviche. This is a traditional Peruvian dish, when sea fish fillets are poured with lime juice and kept until fully cooked. The fruit is also popular in the preparation of carpaccio, while lime is used more often than lemon due to its particular taste and properties. Juice is added to the classic curry, mixed with pepper and other spices.

These options relate to culinary use, but, in addition, the peel, juice and pulp are successfully used in home cosmetology and traditional medicine.

Juice is added to a nourishing cream, on the basis of which face masks are made. Korki insist and drink 2 – 3 tbsp. l. daily. Such a recipe can cure dysbacteriosis. Tinctures also help to relieve inflammation during the systematic rubbing of a sore spot. Bandages with juice help relieve the symptoms of irritation and itching from the skin of the hands.

lime calories

Due to the calorie content, lime brings undoubted benefits for weight loss. The pulp of one medium-sized lime contains only 16 kcal. This means that with the unique composition of vitamins, lime is not able to affect the deposition of excess carbohydrates. This is used by modern nutritionists when compiling weight loss programs. Citrus is readily included in the diet not only as a means of stabilizing metabolic processes, but also as an ingredient that improves the taste of dishes.

Dried lime has a calorie value of 36 kcal.

Drinking lime water in the morning, with its low calorie content, starts the activity of the body’s systems, benefits the absorption of nutrients during breakfast, and minimizes harm through the removal of toxins.

How to store lime at home

The fruit has a thin skin, this is one of its features. During transportation, part of the crop is damaged. When buying, you must choose a whole, even fruit, then it can be stored at home for a long time.

1. Ripe fruits are stored at room temperature for no more than 7 days. After that, the lime peel can become covered with dry patches and become flabby. Such a fruit will wrinkle under the blade of a knife when cutting and will not add freshness to cooked dishes.
2. On the bottom shelf of the refrigerator at a temperature of +4 ° C, the fruit will last for about 3 weeks, while it will partially lose its aroma, but the beneficial properties will remain unchanged.
3. On the territory of a darkened room with an air humidity of 85% and a temperature of about +6 – 8 ° C, the fruits will retain their qualities from 3 to 5 weeks.
4. On the freezer shelf, segments, zest or juice will last up to 6 months, while they will slightly lose their presentable appearance when defrosted, but they will not lose their beneficial properties.

Fruits cut in half are stored in the refrigerator, while the halves are connected to each other and covered with a mug or wrapped with cling film. After 4 – 5 days, the pulp will begin to dry out, and then become covered with mold.

Conclusion

The health benefits of lime fruit are manifold. The fruits have unique flavor characteristics, parts of the fruit are added to cooked dishes and drinks. In addition, citrus has a beneficial effect on the body and, if used correctly, can strengthen the nervous system and get rid of the signs of a cold.

Lime reviews for weight loss