2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
The lime is the name of the so-called green lemon, but it is not a lemon. There are several types that are often associated with the common yellow lemon, but between the two citrus there is a difference in appearance and taste, cultivation and place of cultivation. The lime resembles the shape of a lemon, but has a thin green rind and a juicy, pale greenish flesh. It usually grows best in areas with tropical and subtropical climates. The resemblance between lemon and lime is quite large, with the difference that the small green citrus turns out to be much more useful than its big yellow cousin.
The lime is a widespread fruit in tropical and subtropical regions. His homeland is considered to be Malaysia, and the family from which he comes is the Sedefchevi family.
Composition of lime
Lime contains significant amounts of iron (about 2%), phosphorus, potassium (2%), calcium (2%), magnesium and essential oils. Lime is also a source of pectin and vitamins P, A and C - extremely useful for the health of blood vessels.
100 g of lime contains 29 mg of vitamin C, 0.7 protein, 11 g of carbohydrates, 3 g of fiber, 0.2 g of fat and 30 kcal.
Types of lime
The most common type lime is the Persian or also known as "Florida" variety (Citrus × latifolia), which has large fruits, thin skin and almost no seeds. Green lemons of the small, yellowish cue lime variety (Citrus aurantifolia) are often found on the market. Other types of green lemon are mandarin lime (Citrus limonia), kaffir lime (Citrus hystrix), several Australian limes, Spanish lime (Melicoccusgju) wild lime (Adelia ricinella), sweet lime (Citrus limetta), Palestinian sweet lime (Citrus limettioides), and musk lime (X Citrofortunella mitis).
Selection and storage of lime
The fresh one lime it must be very sour and tart, and in appearance have a shiny bark, which guarantees its juicy inside. When choosing lime be careful - it should be brightly colored and smooth. Avoid citrus fruits with wrinkled peel. If you want to make sure that the fruit is juicy and fleshy, put it on the scales - it should surprise you with its weight, given its small size.
It is possible that there are very small brown areas on the surface of the lime, which, however, do not affect the taste.
Keep in mind that lime spoils quickly and it is better not to shop in large quantities of the fruit. The best way to store lime is to keep it in a plastic bag and in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. If you cut the fruit, it can keep its fresh look for a maximum of two days.
Lime in cooking
Lime is quite well used in cooking and in the preparation of various alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails. It is best to use squeezed juice from lime with the addition of fruit juices or as part of the decoration of cocktails. One of the most popular drinks - mojito, can not do without the addition of lime.
The taste of lime is extremely suitable for flavoring fish, seafood and delicacies. This small and green citrus is ideal for dressings and various marinades, giving them a specific and appetizing taste. The dressing with lime juice is very suitable for flavoring vegetable and even fruit salads. If you squeeze lime juice on sliced fruits - apples, bananas and white vegetables, you can protect them from losing their natural color.
Due to the fact that lime is a small fruit, it does not contain a large amount of juice. This is a prerequisite in cooking to apply the peel and leaves of citrus. In the Arab world, it is common practice to boil lime in salt water and then dry it in the sun. In this way a special Arabic spice lumi is obtained, extremely suitable for flavoring beans and rice.
Lime is very much ingrained in the national cuisines of Southeast Asia and Latin America, and especially in Thailand and Mexico. Except for flavoring seafood, Mexican juice lime used to give a specific taste to meat and especially chicken. In addition to making the meat more tender, lime juice goes well with hot red pepper. In Thailand, one of the varieties of lime is the main ingredient in the sour-spicy tom yam soup. Guacamole, which is one of the most common sauces, cannot be prepared without lime.
Benefits of lime
The lime is an extremely useful, nutritious and dietary fruit. It does not contain fat, sodium and cholesterol, which in fact allows its consumption in unlimited quantities without risk to health. In addition, lime contains very few calories - an average fruit of about 60-70 grams has only 20 kcal. The benefits of lime are also related to the fact that it is an excellent source of plant fiber. If you want to get the necessary doses of vitamin C, choose this green citrus. Its high content of vitamin C (about 35%) favors the normalization of blood cholesterol levels.
This automatically makes lime a valuable and beneficial fruit that helps the heart and the cardiovascular system as a whole. Lime also contains scorbic acid, which increases the body's resistance to infections. In addition, it helps to produce collagen, which is important for maintaining skin elasticity.
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Hardly anyone can mistake the linden with its wonderful aroma and beautiful yellow color. In our country it is a common tree, and it is interesting to know that in Bulgaria grow three types of linden - silver, small-leaved and large-leaved. Regardless, lime blossom is used in the same way - for the preparation of delicious, useful and aromatic tea.
How To Store Lime Juice?
Fresh limes, stored at room temperature, have a shelf life of no more than one week. The refrigerator increases this time to 10-14 days. If you have limes in large quantities and you think that you will not be able to consume them all within two weeks, then prepare a delicious and healthy juice.
Finger Lime
Finger lime / Citrus australasica / is an exotic citrus plant of the family Rutaceae. It can be seen in the rainforests of Eastern Australia. It is widespread in New South Wales. Citrus australasica is a small tree or shrub. It reaches a height of ten meters.
Spanish Lime
The green lemon, better known as lime, is a tasty and useful citrus fruit that is very similar to the ordinary yellow lemon, but is a separate fruit. One of the most common types of lime is Spanish lime . Spanish lime is found mainly in the tropics, especially in Central and South America, as well as some parts of Africa.
Lime Or Lime?
Lime is a widely used name for a type of citrus that has similar characteristics to lemon. Its origin is from South Asia. It can also be found as "lime", but this is not a correct name. Its largest producers are India, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil.