Seasonality:

  • Limes are in season year-round.

Health Benefits of Limes:

  • Limes are excellent sources of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, potassium, folate, flavonoids and limonene.
  • The Limonene in limes has anti-cancer effects and help increase the level of enzymes that detoxify carcinogens.

How to Select Limes:

  • Choose limes that are heavy for their size, give slightly when gentle pressure is applied and have a pleasant fragrance.
  • The skin of a lime should be bright green with no wrinkling.
  • Avoid limes that are too soft or have signs of mold.

How to Store Limes:

  • Store limes in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a month. When stored at room temperature, limes should last about a week or two.

How to Prepare Limes:

  • Always wash before slicing.
  • Before juicing, roll a room-temperature lime under your palm to break down the cells inside the fruit that hold liquid. If a lime is especially hard, microwave it for 20 seconds. You should get 2 to 3 tablespoons of juice per fruit.

Fun Facts About Limes:

  • For hundreds of years, sailors and explorers ate lemons or limes to prevent scurvy on long sea voyages. Scurvy was caused by a lack of Vitamin C.

Learn more at the Florida Department of Citrus, California Citrus Growers Association and Summer Citrus from South Africa

Get additional resources in our Nutrition Education Center