Limes, a dietitian's guide
Whilst limes may be one of the smaller members of the citrus family, they make up for it when it comes to taste, versatility and nutritional value. Summer is the perfect time to make the most of these small citrus fruits and our good friends at The Biting Truth has listed a couple of reasons why:
Anti-cancer properties
You may have noticed citrus fruits, including limes have a distinctive smell? This is thanks to a compound found within the lime’s peel called d-limonene. Some evolving research suggests this compound has properties that are protective against cancer.
Aid in hydration
For those that are looking for something a little more exciting than water, why not add a twist of lime. Drinking water helps to control our body temperature, metabolism, heart and blood pressure. Water also is necessary to flush waste products out of our body. Adding a wedge of lime to your water is a fresh way to keep hydrated this summer.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C plays an essential role in keeping our immune system up and running - helping to fend off nasty viruses and bacteria. It is also involved in the formation of collagen, an important protein needed to build healthy skin, muscles, blood vessels and bone. Vitamin C also assists our bodies to absorb iron from iron rich plant-based foods (e.g.lentils and chickpeas). This is particularly important if you’re vegetarian, as enjoying a squeeze of lime on your meal can assist your body in absorbing the iron from the meal. An average sized lime can contain up to 20mg of Vitamin C!
Our favourite ways to use lime:
- We love to use fresh lime as a dressing on home made Asian style salads
- We use lime juice to prevent chopped apple pieces or avocado from browning.
- If you make your own juices, we recommend using mostly veggies and adding some lime to sweeten it up.
