This Week: Limes!

Limes are sour, round, and bright green citrus fruits.

There are many species of limes, including the Key lime, Persian lime, desert lime, and makrut lime. Although quite small, limes are full of nutrients, most prominent being Vitamin C. Limes provide over 20% of your recommended daily intake of Vitamin C. They also contain small amounts of iron, calcium, vitamin B6, thiamine, potassium, and more. They are high in active compounds that function as antioxidants in your body, including flavonoids, limonoids, kaempferol, quercetin, and ascorbic acid.

Vitamin C is an important nutrient to have in our bodies. Vitamin C helps to increase the production of white blood cells, which assist in protecting the body against infections and diseases, as well as shortening the duration and severity of colds and flus. Vitamin C is also known to help reduce inflammation, as well as stimulating collagen production, which aids in the repairing of wounds.

The Vitamin C and antioxidants in limes have been  shown to promote healthy skin, by increasing the collagen whilst also reducing wrinkle. They also aid in reducing several heart disease risk factors, including lowering high blood pressure and helping to prevent atherosclerosis. Citrus fruits such as limes are also great at helping to prevent kidney stones, increasing iron absorption and lowering the risk of certain cancers, such as colon, throat, pancreas, breast,  bone marrow and lymphomas, to name a few.
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Detriments: Limes ae considered generally safe for consumption, as long as there are no signs of allergies present. If swelling, hives or breathing difficulties occur, you should stop consuming them and seek medical attention. You may also experience acid reflux due to the acidity, as well as possible increased risk of cavities, due to the acids eroding tooth enamel. This is easy to prevent though, as all you need is to rinse your mouth out with water after consuming or drinking lime juice.