Origin of Sweet Lime
Though the Citrus genus has many points of origins
ranging from Indonesia to China, a 2004 report published in the “Agriculture
Review” points to the hills of Meghalaya and Nagaland as the home of sweet
limes (Citrus tanaka). On the other
hand, the book, “Fruits of Warm Climates” cites a broader range by including
India’s central and northern regions. The fruit itself is a hybrid of a Mexican
lime and sweet citron or sweet lemon.
Today, sweet limes grow
in Egypt, Syria, Palestine, tropical Americas, parts of Southeast Asia, and the
Mediterranean. It’s also a hobby fruit in parts of Florida and California.
Availability of Sweet Lime in India
Sweet lime is one of
those uniquely Indian fruits that, while perhaps not originating in the
country, has a large fan base. One reference to the fruit has a non-resident of
India harkening back to the scorching summer days of India. Indeed, it’s common
to spot pedestrians stopping for a cup of tangy, refreshing sweet lime juice as
a way of squelching the heat.
Sweet limes, also known
as “tanaka,” are cultivated in the Northeast regions of India, specifically in
the hills at high elevations between 1,000m to 2,700m. It’s difficult to
determine sweet lime’s production figures, as they’re generally lumped into “sweet
orange” statistics. Furthermore, “mosambi” sometimes means Citrus sinensis, which can be any variety of sweet oranges. Nonetheless,
The FAO lists India’s 2011 citrus production at a staggering 54 million metric
tonnes, of which the “National Bank and Agriculture and Rural Development
Centre” lists sweet oranges accounting for approximately 25 percent of all
citrus cultivation in the country.
Where to find Sweet Lime in India
Sweet
limes come into season mostly during the rainy months from July to August, far
before other orange varieties hit the shelves between October through November,
and again from November through March. While
citrus fruits can be found year-round, sweet limes are quite distinctly a
summer monsoon fruit. They can be found in all parts of the country.
When
in season, it’s impossible to avoid street vendors trying to push a cup of the
pale yellow juice in one’s hands. Shops
large and small line their shelves with the greenish yellow fruits, and most
restaurants willingly oblige requests for a cup of the freshly squeezed juice.
Checking for Ripeness in Sweet Lime
Sweet limes are no
different than most types of citrus—they will not ripen off the tree, and must
be picked when fully ripe. This is indicated by its tennis ball size and
lustrous greenish yellow sheen. Gently scratch the surface of a sweet lime: If
its oils embed in the fingernails, it’s ripe. The juiciest fruits feel heavy
for their size.
Overripe sweet limes, on
the other hand, are dull, shrunken, and possess dry, spongy skin. Avoid fruits
with brownish yellow discoloration. Also check for premature sweet limes, which
feel light for their size and are hard with tart flesh.
Taste of Sweet Lime
Sweet lime tastes as it
sounds. More specifically, the fruit is sweet but retains the same essence as a
lime but without the mouth puckering qualities—it’s a sweet, mellow citrus. If
limeade could be encapsulated in a fruit, it would be the sweet lime. The
flavor is a bit flatter than some citruses due to its lack of acidity, while
other citruses tend to be better well rounded in their ratio of
sour-acid-sweet. This type of citrus doesn’t contain the same pungency as
grapefruits, nor the sharpness of oranges. Sweet limes are wholly agreeable,
bearing great similarity to pith-free pomelo flesh.
Nutritional Value of Sweet Lime
According to the
“Nutritive Value of Indian Foods” published by the National Institute of
Nutrition, 100g of sweet lime has the following values:
43kcal
88.4 Moisture
.8g Protein
.3g Fat
.7g Minerals
.5g Fiber
9.3g Carbs
40mg Calcium
30mg Phosphorous
490mg Potassium
.7mg Iron
50mg Vitamin C
Health Benefits of Sweet Lime
Sweet lime, like all
citrus, contains potent vitamins and nutrients. Its high vitamin C and folic
acid content ensure strong immunity, glowing skin health, and support to bones
and joints. As explained in the book, “Health-Promoting Properties of Fruits
and Vegetables,” citrus also contains other extremely beneficial compounds
including chlorophyll, carotenoids, phenolics, flavonoids, and limonoids.
The book goes on to
reference studies pointing the fruit’s cardiovascular
benefits (Economos 1999), protective benefits against stroke (Joshipura 1999), anticancer
properties against degenerative diseases (Silalahi 2002), reduced oxidative stress, (Dayhim et al. 2007)
and antiplatelet activity
(Piccinelli 2008).
Additional health
benefits are as follows:
--According to a 2011
study published in Food Chemistry, Citrus limetta possesses remarkable
antioxidant activity.
--A 2011 study published
in ISRN Endocrinology found that Citrus limetta fruit peel displayed antihyperglycemic properties.
--A 2005 article
published on the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service page mentions studies
showing citrus limonoids have been shown to fight various forms of cancer, including that of the mouth,
skin, lung, breast, stomach and colon.
--A 2013 study published
in Industrial Crops and Products affirms
sweet lime’s ability to inhibit colon
cancer cell proliferation.
--According to a 2013
study published in Herbert Open Access
Journal, sweet lime illustrated antimicrobial
properties.
How to Open/Cut:
Once peeled, sweet lime
is sugary enough to eat as-is. Some sweet limes have a reasonably thick,
pliable skin that makes peeling easy. Some thin, tight-skinned fruits require
careful cutting with a serrated knife in order to peel. Once peeled, Cut into
desired sized pieces. Mosambi flesh retains its shape well, thus allowing for
cubing if desired.
Storage:
Sweet
limes have a long shelf life at room temperature, as they keep fresh for up to
two weeks. In the refrigerator, sweet limes last for four to eight weeks. It’s
possible to freeze slices of the fruit, though the limonin content in sweet
limes may cause the pulp to taste bitter over time. A way to avoid this is by
freezing the fruit in a “wet pack,” achieved by submerging the slices in sweet
syrup within an airtight glass jar. Or, make orange juice and freeze the liquid.
Frozen juice will keep for up to six months, though it’s best to check the
fruit periodically to ensure it doesn’t become sour.
Juice from the site AvanthiRao's Kitchen |
Sweet Lime Recipe Ideas and Uses:
--Sweet lime juice is a favorite in the humid rainy
season: simply peel and juice the whole fruit, using either a commercial juicer
or a hand-held citrus juicer. Additional flavors to add to any juice include
mint, ginger, cranberry, strawberry, orange, pineapple, coconut water, lemon,
lime, or kiwi.
--Make a salad dressing from the fruit by
combining it with a mustard base, white wine vinegar, pepper and agave.
--Make popsicles from the fruit’s juice,
adding chunks of fruit as desired.
--Use as a substitute in any recipe calling for lemon or lime.
--Make
syrup from the juice, using it to sweeten
carbonated water or to make a chilled sorbet
dessert.
--Add the juice to ice teas as a twist on the classic
Arnold palmer.
--Use the zest of the
sweet lime in baked goods, lime pies
and to enhance rice dishes.
--Add cubed sweet lime to
salsa recipes: mix with tomato,
onion, garlic, cilantro, and black bean.
Flavor Complements:
Lemon, lime, citron,
buddha’s hand, calamondin, kumquat, mandarins, coconut, pineapple, mango,
banana, kokum, cochin goraka, garcinia cambogia, strawberry, watermelon, star gooseberry,
amla, bilimbi, calamondin
Herbs, spices, and oil: coconut water, mint, basil, lime or lemon juice, white
vinegar, pepper, mustard, champagne, vodka, ginger, honey, ice tea
Random Facts:
This fruit doesn’t get
referenced often in Hollywood, but it’s mentioned in Wes Anderson’s movie, “The
Darjeeling Limited.” The train hostess, Rita (played by Amara Karan), offers
the juice to the three brothers as they make their way through India by rail.
“Sweet lime?” she asks.
![]() |
Binomial Name:
Citrus limettioides Tanaka
Citrus lumia
Citrus limetta (though some will say this is “sweet lemon,” and should not be
confused with sweet lime)
Other Names:
Mosambi (this name could
connote several types of citrus)
Mousambi (Hindi)
Sathukudu (Tamil)
Bathaya Kaayalu (Telegu)
Related Fruits:
Any
fruit in the citrus group: lemon, lime, orange, citron, pomelo, etc
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