The lime is a citrus fruit that grows in tropical climates such as California, Florida, Mexico and the Caribbean. The two types of limes sold in the United States are the Persian and key varieties. Key limes are generally found in Florida, and the Persian lime is available in the rest of the country year-round, but the peak season is May through August. Limes are often utilized for their juice, which has culinary, nutritional and medicinal benefits.
Vitamin C
The juice from a lime weighing 1.5 ounces provides 13 mg of vitamin C, or 22 percent of the FDA recommended Daily Value. Including concentrated sources of vitamin C in the diet is important because the nutrient is needed for the formation of collagen used for the repair and formation of skin tissue. Vitamin C also protects cells from oxidative damage caused by free radicals and environmental toxins. British sailors drank lime juice to prevent scurvy at sea, resulting from vitamin C deficiency, and earned the nickname "limey," still used today.
Potassium
The juice from one lime provides 51 mg of potassium, or 2 percent of the FDA recommended Daily Value. Potassium is important for regulating mineral balance in the blood. The mineral behaves as an electrolyte, conducting electricity in the body, and is important for heart function. Potassium is found in every living cell, tissue and organ and is integral to their functions.
Water
The juice from two limes provides 3 oz. of water. Water is the most important fluid you consume, and fruits and vegetables in the diet are often sources of water in addition to the pure water you drink. The recommended daily intake of water varies; some people abide by the easy-to-remember eight 8-oz. glasses per day. Water helps flush toxins from the body and provides the fluid used to transport compounds in the blood stream.
Antimicrobial
According to the Missouri Botanical Garden, Africans, Central Americans and Middle Easterners used lime juice traditionally to treat viral, fungal and bacterial infections. A recent study in Europe by researchers at St. George's University of London, published in the January 11, 2008, issue of "Retrovirology," found that lime juice's antimicrobial effects are strong enough to destroy the HIV virus in seminal fluid in laboratory trials. The juice cannot be used to combat the disease, however, because the length of time required to kill the virus prohibits its practical use.
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