13 Apr

Best Limes For Lime Juice And How To Choose Them

With spring and summer on the horizon, it’s time to bust out that juicer and get ready for some fresh-squeezed lime juice. Limes are a key ingredient in many warm weather beverages and food recipes. To prepare for the season, take a look at the varieties of limes that are on the market, learn which are best for juicing and how to tell when a lime is ready for juicing.

What limes are the best for juicing?

There are two kinds of limes that are commonly found in supermarkets and are categorized as the best limes for juicing. Each offers something slightly different from the other. The first is the Persian, or otherwise known as the Tahitian, lime. Seedless Persian limes are larger than other limes, generally about the size of your fist. They have a thick skin and juice that is slightly tart, but overall less potent than other varieties. Key limes, or Mexican limes, are smaller, more aromatic limes. Although key limes are only about the size of a golf ball, they are loaded with juice that is distinguishable by its acidic, bitter flavor.

best limes for juicing

How to select the best limes for juicing?

Limes are extremely sour until they are mature, so it is important to understand when a lime is ready to be juiced. The first thing you want to look for is a nice light green color. Limes turn yellow once they are ripe, and the juice becomes bitter and undesirable. Check the skin of the lime. You want limes with a smooth, unwrinkled skin. Limes that have a wrinkled surface have already begun drying out and will not be able to provide you with a sufficient amount of lime juice. Surface blemishes on the skin are no problem, as you will not be using the skin. Limes should feel heavy or have a plumpness, as they will be full of juice. If limes are ready for juicing, they should feel slightly soft when pressure is applied.

Now you have selected the best limes for juicing. The next part relies completely on your juicer. With minimal effort, you can have the most refreshing, best tasting lime juice for all of your spring and summer delights.

05 Mar

The Power of Lime And Lime Juice Health Benefits

When it comes to health benefits, lime juice is an absolute powerhouse. The sweet and sour tanginess packs more punch than most multivitamin tablets or health shakes. Everything from weight management to scurvy can be helped by a squeeze of the green. Here is a closer look at the benefits of this magical fruit:

Lime Juice And Beauty

Whether the juice is applied directly to skin or ingested, lime juice has proven itself as a skin beautifier. When applied to the skin, the acid from lime juice acts as an exfoliating agent. A few drops of lime juice can be added to your facial cleanser or daily lotion. If added to your lotion, be sure to use a daily sunscreen since the lime juice will gently reveal a new layer of skin.

When ingested, the high dose of vitamin C found in lime juice acts as a great antioxidant and disinfectant. Lime juice is also credited with healing dandruff, bruising and body odor. Try adding a few drops to your bath, body lotion or shampoo for the most benefits. Also, a few drops of lime juice make drinking water refreshing and nutritious.

Weight Management

Lime has been a daily meal staple in India for centuries. The people of India have long known that lime will aid in digestion, which ultimately aids in managing weight. Lime works in two ways to keep your weight down. First, the wonderful aroma of lime will stimulate your mouth to water, thus stimulating your digestive tract. Second, the flavanoids in lime juice will break down the food which will help the body rid itself of toxins and waste.

In addition, a daily intake of lime juice will keep your body from suffering constipation or irritable bowel syndrome. Some great ways to get the daily benefits of lime is either by sprinkling a few drops over meats or eating a side of lime chutney. Lime chutney is delicious with all meats and most potato dishes. Also, add a few drops of lime juice to your sodas or fruit juices for an extra punch of flavor.

Scurvy

Scurvy has been a dreaded disease for many centuries. The common symptoms associated with scurvy are frequent infections, frequent cough/cold, chronically cracked lips, swollen gums and mouth ulcers. Scurvy is caused by a lack of vitamin C. As long as scurvy has plagued people, lime has been used as both a cure and a preventative form of medicine. Long ago, sailors, factory and farm workers were given lime by their boss to ward off scurvy. People who work in pollution factories and other highly toxic areas are still given lime by their employer to protect them from scurvy. Lime is possibly one of the greatest sources of vitamin C, which your body always needs. Just because you don’t have scurvy, don’t skimp on the powers of vitamin C.

The Power Of Flavanoids

Flavanoids are found in fruits and some vegetables and act as strong antioxidants when ingested. Antioxidants reduce inflammation and slow down the aging process in humans. Furthermore, antioxidants boast the ability to fight cancers and actually heal cellular damage. Lime juice is chalk full of wonderful flavanoids.

The Power Of Vitamin C

We’ve always heard the importance of getting enough vitamin C, but do you know just how powerful this nutrient is? A deficiency in vitamin C can cause more bodily malfunctions than can be imagined. The good news: Lime juice has more vitamin C than can be imagined. Here is a list of the many bodily organs/functions that can be deeply improved with adequate amounts of vitamin C:

  • vision
  • gums and mouth
  • ulcers
  • urinary tract
  • kidneys
  • liver
  • stomach
  • respiratory system
  • colon
  • prostate
  • heart
  • skeletal structure

The health benefits of lime juice cannot be overestimated. It has also helped cure colon cancer, prostate cancer, arthritis, rheumatism, fatigue, cholera, high fever and also diabetes. Lime juice may very well be one of the  super foods.

06 Feb

Lime Nutrition Facts

Lime Nutrition Facts

Betaine 0 mg
Calcium 33 mg
Calories 30 Calories
Carbohydrate 11 g
Carotene-a 0 mcg
Carotene-ß 3 mcg
Choline 0 mg
Copper 0,1 mg
Dietary Fiber 2,8 g
Fluoride 0 mcg
Folate 8 mcg
Iron 0,6 mg
Lutein-zeaxanthin 9 mcg
Lycopene  mcg
Magnesium 6 mg
Manganese 0 mg
Niacine 0,2 mg
Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) 82 µ mol TE
Pantothenic Acid 0,2 mg
Phosphorus 18 mg
Phytonutrients 0 mcg
Potassium 102 mg
Protein 0,7 g
Pyridoxine Vit. B6 0 mg
Riboflavin Vit. B2 0 mg
Selenium 0,4 mcg
Sodium 2 mg
Sugar 1,7 g
Thiamine 0 mg
Total Fat 0,2 g
Vitamin A 50 IU
Vitamin B6 0 mg
Vitamin C 29,1 mg
Vitamin E 0,2 mg
Vitamin K 0,6 mcg
Water 88,3 g
Zinc 0,1 mg