Lime Benefits
The health benefits of lime include weight loss, improved digestion, reduced respiratory and urinary disorders, relief from constipation, and treatment of scurvy, piles, peptic ulcer, gout, and gums. It also aids in skin care and eye care.
Lime, bearing the scientific name Citrus Aurantifolia, has been well known for its medicinal properties and uses in the treatment of various ailments for ages. Due to its unique flavor, the lime fruit is widely consumed all over the world and has various culinary and non-culinary uses. It is also used in the preparation of various cosmetic and health products. Extracted from lime’s peel or skin, lime essential oil is extensively used in aromatherapy and perfumes.
Lime Nutrition Facts
Lime consists of water and is an extremely good source of vitamin C. It is also rich in dietary fiber and minerals like calcium, iron, potassium, copper, magnesium, and phosphorous. The best thing about lime is that it has the least amount of calories, carbohydrates, and zero fats. Moreover, lime peel and pulp are also rich in diverse phytochemicals like polyphenols and terpenes.
Health Benefits of Lime
Limes can do a lot more for our skin and overall health than just adding a refreshing zest to any drink, cleansing our body, and boosting immunity. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits they offer.
Prevents Gum Bleeding
The root cause of gum problems is a deficiency of vitamin C (scurvy, which results in bleeding and spongy gums) and microbial growth. Sometimes, the ulcers come from physical trauma. In all of these situations, limes can help. The vitamin C in it cures scurvy, flavonoids inhibit microbial growth, and potassium heals ulcers and wounds.
Eye Care
Vitamin-C again! Its antioxidant properties protect eyes from aging and macular degeneration. On top of that, flavonoids help protect them from infections.
Manages Diabetes
According to the American Diabetes Association, limes and other citrus fruits are considered a superfood for diabetes for a number of reasons. Mainly, high levels of soluble fiber found in limes make it an ideal dietary support to help regulate the body’s absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, reducing the occurrence of blood sugar spikes that are a serious risk to diabetic patients. Also, limes and other citrus fruits have a low glycemic index, which means they will not cause an unexpected spike in glucose levels.
Skin Care
Lime juice can be consumed orally and used in topical applications. It rejuvenates the skin and protects it from infections. It also helps to reduce body odor due to the presence of high amount of vitamin C and flavonoids in it. Both lime juice and lime essential oil are high in antioxidants and have antibiotic and disinfectant properties. When applied externally on the skin, its acids scrub out dead cells and cure dandruff, rashes, and bruises. It can also be used to create a refreshing bathing experience if its juice or oil is mixed in your bath.
Treats Scurvy
Use of lime is a well-known cure for scurvy, a disease caused due to the deficiency of vitamin C. It is characterized by frequent infections that show as normal cold symptoms, cracked lips and lip corners, and ulcers on the tongue and in the mouth. You can also diagnose scurvy if you see spongy, swollen, and bleeding gums.
In the past, soldiers and sailors were given lime to keep them safe from scurvy, which was a horrible and potentially fatal disease back then. Even now, it is distributed among the workers in polluted environments like furnaces, painting shops, heat treatments, cement factories, mines, and other dangerous work environments to protect them from scurvy. A moderate intake of natural vitamin C can easily be sourced from limes and can keep you away from scurvy.
Weight Loss
A glass of warm water with a full lime’s worth of juice is an excellent weight reducer as well as a brilliant refresher and antioxidant drink. The citric acid present in lime is an excellent fat burner. You can consume two glasses of warm water with lime juice a day and see remarkable results within a week.
Cures Fever
If someone is suffering from a fever, limes or lime juice can be of great importance. Citrus fruits, in general, have fever-reducing qualities because of vitamin C found in high concentrations in them, which naturally lowers the temperature of the body.
Treats Piles
Since lime helps to heal ulcers and wounds in the digestive and excretory system while providing relief from constipation, it eradicates all the root causes of piles. Piles are a different term for hemorrhoids, an uncomfortable condition that occurs in the anal region, and can result in bleeding and discomfort during excretion. It can also lead to certain forms of cancer, and limes can help prevent their formation or recurrence.
Heals Peptic Ulcer
In addition to vitamin C, lime contains special compounds called flavonoids (limonoids such as limonin glucoside) which have antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, antibiotic, and detoxifying properties that stimulate the healing process of peptic and oral ulcers.
Treats Gout
There are two main causes of gout. The first source is the accumulation of free radicals in the body, and the second is an accumulation of toxins in the body, primarily uric acid. Limes can help prevent both of these causes. It is a wonderful source of antioxidants & detoxifiers (vitamin-C & Flavonoids) which reduce the number of free radicals as well as detoxify the body.
Other Benefits: Lime is a good appetizer and helps in digestion. It can help to cure rheumatism, prostate and colon cancer, cholera, arteriosclerosis, and fatigue.
