Lime

Citrus ×aurantifoliaAlso called green lemon

Lime is a juicy, sour fruit. Cooks use it to season food.

Plant-based
Gluten-free
No listed allergens

About the plain ingredient, not packaged products; general information, not medical advice. Details

Category: Fruit
Part used: Fruit
Family: Rutaceae
Texture: Juicy
Cooked most in: Asia, Africa
Top country: Indonesia
Dishes: 26 in the catalogue
Energy: 30 kcal per 100 g

Photo: Ivar Leidus · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

In the kitchen

How to use lime

Typical ways to cook or use it

Season

Flavour

Taste and texture

Taste, raw profile of lime

Sweet0

Sour4

Salty0

Bitter0

Umami0

Texture, raw

Juicy

Shopping

Choosing and storing lime

Choosing a good one

Choose green limes for stronger flavour and acidity.

Nutrition

What 100 g of lime holds

Per 100 g, raw. Averages from USDA; real values vary by variety, season and growing conditions.

Protein 6%Fat 2%Carbohydrate 92%of the macronutrients by weight

Nutrition per 100 g of lime, raw
Energy	30 kcal · 126 kJ
Protein	0.7 g
Fat	0.2 g
of which saturated	0.02 g
Carbohydrate	11 g
of which sugars	1.7 g
Fibre	2.8 g
Sodium	2 mg
Cholesterol	0 mg

Nutrition per 100 g of lime, raw: minerals and vitamins
Potassium	102 mg
Calcium	33 mg
Iron	0.6 mg
Magnesium	6 mg
Zinc	0.11 mg
Vitamin C	29 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)	2 µg
Folate	8 µg

Canned

Protein 3%Fat 3%Carbohydrate 93%of the macronutrients by weight

Nutrition per 100 g of lime, canned
Energy	21 kcal · 88 kJ
Protein	0.25 g
Fat	0.23 g
of which saturated	0.03 g
Carbohydrate	6.7 g
of which sugars	1.4 g
Fibre	0.4 g
Sodium	16 mg
Cholesterol	0 mg

Nutrition per 100 g of lime, canned: minerals and vitamins
Potassium	75 mg
Calcium	12 mg
Iron	0.23 mg
Magnesium	7 mg
Zinc	0.06 mg
Vitamin C	6.4 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)	1 µg
Folate	8 µg

Source: USDA FoodData Central (foods 168155, 168157), public domain. Minerals and vitamins are listed only where USDA measured a non-zero amount.

Around the world

Where lime is cooked

26 dishes in the catalogue use lime. Here is where they come from.

Dishes by continent

Asia24
Africa1

Countries whose dishes use it most

Counts are catalogued dishes from each country that list lime among their ingredients.

Origins

Native to: South-eastern Asia, Indonesia, China

About -3000~/-1500 · Micronesia and Polynesia
Limes reached Micronesia and Polynesia during the Austronesian expansion.

On the table

Dishes made with lime

23 of the 26 catalogued dishes that use it, spread across the countries they come from.

Coto makassar
Indonesia
Maskurolhi
Maldives
Shark chutney
Seychelles
Klatak Satay
Indonesia
Sangsang
Indonesia
Snail satay
Indonesia
Dengke Mas Naniura
Indonesia
Gabus pucung
Indonesia
Eungkot Paya
Indonesia
Manuk Napinadar
Indonesia
Mie celor
Indonesia
Satay kalong
Indonesia
Soto Jepara
Indonesia
Lawar
Indonesia
Sambal asam udueng
Indonesia
Seruit
Indonesia
Tasak telu
Indonesia
Babi panggang karo
Indonesia
Pindang Serani
Indonesia
Ayam Taliwang
Indonesia
Betutu
Indonesia
Taichan satay
Indonesia
Candlenut soup
Indonesia

Dish lists come from Wikidata; a dish counts when its recorded ingredients include lime.

Good to know

Diet and allergens: lime in detail

These notes describe the plain ingredient. Packaged and prepared products vary, so read the label; for allergies and medical diets ask a doctor or dietitian.

Allergens: None of the 15 listed allergens foundChecked and not found: soy, eggs, fish, milk, lupin, wheat, celery, sesame, mustard, peanuts, molluscs, sulphites, tree nuts, crustaceans, gluten cereals.
Animal origin: No animal ingredients foundChecked and not found: egg, fish, meat, dairy, honey, insect, gelatin, poultry, bone char, shellfish, other animal, animal fining, animal rennet.
Gluten: None
Alcohol: None
Caffeine: None
Pork: None