Lime

Also known asCitrus aurantiifolia · Citrus latifolia · 青柠

Name: Lime, most commonly the Persian lime (Citrus × latifolia) sold in supermarkets, though the smaller key lime or Mexican lime (Citrus × aurantifolia) is also widely grown — see the separate Key Lime page for that variety. “Lime” is also used loosely for related but distinct fruits such as kaffir/makrut lime, sweet lime, and finger lime, each covered on their own pages here.

Description

Limes are small, round to oval citrus fruits with thin green-to-yellow peel and notably tart, acidic pulp — most varieties are even more acidic and sugary than lemons. Wild limes are thought to have originated in the Indonesian archipelago or nearby mainland Asia, reaching the eastern Mediterranean via Arab traders around 1000 CE and Europe with returning Crusaders in the 12th and 13th centuries.

Limes spread to the Americas after Columbus carried citrus seeds to the West Indies on his second voyage in 1493, and they later became strongly associated with the British Royal Navy, which issued lime juice to sailors to prevent scurvy — the origin of the nickname “limey.” Today limes are grown across most citrus regions and are essential to Latin American, Southeast Asian, and Indian cooking.

Main nutrition value

Per 100g, raw lime:

Limes are best known for vitamin C — about a third of a day’s value per 100g — and provide a solid dose of fiber for such a tart fruit, plus small amounts of potassium and iron.

How best to be consumed

Limes are used almost entirely for their juice and zest rather than eaten whole: a squeeze of fresh lime juice brightens drinks, marinades, salsas, and curries, while the zest adds aromatic oil to baking and cooking. Because so little pulp is typically consumed at once, limes contribute their nutrients in small doses spread across many dishes rather than as a stand-alone snack food.

Overconsumption could cause…

Lime juice is highly acidic, and frequent, concentrated exposure — sucking on wedges or drinking large amounts of limeade — can erode tooth enamel and irritate the mouth or a sensitive stomach. Lime peel and juice also contain furanocoumarins that can cause a skin reaction called phytophotodermatitis (sometimes nicknamed “lime disease,” unrelated to Lyme disease) if juice gets on skin that is then exposed to sunlight, producing burns or dark patches; this is a genuine and well-documented risk with squeezing limes outdoors or at the beach.

GroupsCitrus FruitsCitrus (Rutaceae)Low fatLow sodiumRich in vitamin CFresh

Related foodsLemonPomeloClementineOrangeTangerineKumquat

U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central — Limes, raw (FDC ID 168155), 100g portion: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/168155/nutrients Encyclopaedia Britannica — Lime: https://www.britannica.com/plant/lime