What is lime and how is it different from lemon

Limes and lemons are popular citrus fruits in cooking. They are added to dishes to impart a delicate aroma and fresh, sour taste, and are used as a snack for alcoholic beverages. Various cocktails are prepared from fruits: even Portuguese sailors in the past began to add citrus juices to alcoholic drinks.

Although lime is genetically similar to lemon, they are different plants. Consider the difference between lime and lemon, how they grow and which of these fruits is healthier.

What is lime

This is a species of the genus Citrus and its eponymous fruit. Fruit is often confused with lemon, so let's take a look at a few points:

1. Lime - is it an unripe lemon? No, this is a separate species.
2. This is not the result of crossing different cultures, but an independent species of citrus plants. Lemon, according to scientists, is a spontaneous hybrid of citron and bitter orange.
3. Depending on the variety, limes are green or yellow, but usually the rind and flesh are green.

Exist many varieties of plants... The most popular ones are:

• Mexican - real sour lime with green thin skin and juicy pulp, the most common;
• Persian - a small oval-shaped fruit with a pale yellow skin and greenish juicy pulp, sour in taste;
• Palestinian - a fruit of a spherical or oval shape with a smooth yellowish peel and pulp of the same color, it tastes fresh, without acid and bitterness;
• Neopolitanum - one of the oldest varieties, green fruits with a thin skin and juicy sour flesh without pits, are appreciated in cooking.

Citrus became the basis for creating hybrids: limequat (lime + kumquat), limonayme (lime + lemon), etc.

When is lime season and where do they grow

The culture grows in tropical zones up to 1000 m above sea level. It is adapted to the conditions of a humid tropical climate, which cannot be said about lemon.

Reference. The homeland of the plant is considered the Malacca Peninsula (Southeast Asia).

The plant is widely cultivated in India, Brazil, Venezuela, West African countries, Myanmar, Sri Lanka. However, on the international market, fruits come mainly from Mexico, Egypt, India, Cuba and the Antilles.

The citrus season is year-round, meaning flowering and ripening occurs throughout the year. Mass flowering is observed from the beginning of the rainy season in May-June, and the main harvest is harvested in August, September and October.

What is the difference between lime and lemon

It is a common misconception that lime is an unripe lemon. Both plants belong to the same genus, are considered genetic relatives, but this is where their similarities end. Citrus fruits themselves, their fruits and periods of fruiting differ.

Appearance

Lime grows in the tropics and is a small tree or shrub 1.5–5 m high with a dense crown. Lemon prefers subtropics, its height is 5–8 m, the crown is pyramidal or spreading.

Lime bears fruit throughout the year, lemon - once, in the fall. Differences between fruits are presented in the table.

Taste

Another difference between lime and lemon is taste.The latter has a pronounced sour, delicate citrus aroma. The first one tastes very sour, with a characteristic bitterness. The citrus aroma is pronounced, sharp and fresh.

Properties

Both fruits contain many beneficial substances, but composition theirs is not identical. Let's determine what is the difference between lime and lemon in terms of chemical composition.

Both contain beta-carotene, vitamins E, C, B1, B2, B3 (PP), B4, B5, B6, B9. Lemon contains more ascorbic acid (40 mg per 100 g vs. 29 mg in lime).

The mineral composition of fruits is similar. Both contain calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium. Lemon contains many times more copper (240 mcg per 100 g versus 65 mcg in lime).

Due to its rich composition, fruits have many beneficial properties:

• replenishment of the lack of vitamin C in the body;
• strengthening the immune system;
• improving digestion;
• normalization of metabolic processes;
• decrease in fatigue, irritability, anxiety;
• normalization of the cardiovascular system.

Citruses are recommended for pregnant women with toxicosis, for the treatment and prevention of avitaminosis, acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, etc.

Both fruits are actively used in cosmetology. They are used to produce products for whitening and cleansing the skin, strengthening hair and nails, restoring damaged skin, smoothing wrinkles, toning and growing new cells.

Which is sour - lemon or lime

A more sour lime, it has a characteristic bitterness. The taste and aroma are more pronounced.

It is impossible to determine which fruit is better. Both contain almost the same vitamins and minerals, which means they are equally beneficial for the body.

Reference. When cooked, most of the vitamin C is destroyed. For maximum benefit, fruit is best eaten fresh.

The main criterion for choosing a fetus is everyone's preferences. When buying, it is important to evaluate the appearance of the fruit. The main signs indicating maturity and quality:

• smooth surface without pits and bumps;
• elasticity, but not firmness;
• the peel is uniform green (lime) and yellow (lemon);
• fresh scent.

Store fruits in the refrigerator in the fresh zone. Shelf life in cold - 3 weeks, at room temperature - 1 week.

It is interesting:

Kaffir lime - what is this plant

How to grow lime from a stone or cuttings at home

Lime juice and concentrate: composition, properties, application, contraindications

Conclusion

The citrus genus is replete with a wide variety of plants, in which it is easy to get confused. Therefore, clarifying questions often arise: for example, what is lime and how it differs from lemon, is it the same or not, which of them is sour.

Lime is a separate species, genetically similar to lemon. Unlike the yellow juicy and sour fruit, lime is green, its pulp is more juicy and sour, with bitterness.