Since lemon and lime are close relatives, people often confuse them. Both of these fruits contain a large amount of ascorbic acid and belong to the citrus fruits of the rue family. This is where their similarities end, but otherwise lemon and lime differ quite a bit. So what is the difference between these two fruits?
Lemon = lime
The fruit of the lemon tree is an egg-shaped fruit with tapered ends. Lemon traces its history to India, China and the tropical islands in the Pacific Ocean, where it grows comfortably in subtropical climates. The birthplace of lime is the Malacca Peninsula, and its fruits grow on shrubs one and a half to two meters high (less often on trees five meters high). They are similar to lemon fruits in shape and color, but differ and are more demanding on the quality of the soil.
The main world suppliers of lime are India, Cuba, Egypt, the Antilles and Mexico.
The skin color of a lime, as opposed to a bright yellow lemon, is greenish yellow or completely green. This is due to the fact that it deteriorates quickly enough, and suppliers are trying to extend the period of its implementation, collecting its fruits in an immature form. Also, in comparison with the transparent yellowish pulp of lemon, lime has a more juicy, tender and granular green pulp. Lemon, in turn, dominates limes in size - although certain varieties of limes are similar in size.
Taste and benefits
It would be impossible to find a fruit that is sour than lemon, but lime is ahead of it in terms of acidity and bitterness. Lemon peel allows you to store it in the refrigerator for several months, while the thin lime peel will not allow it to be stored for more than two weeks in the refrigerator at + 4 ° C. There is more vitamin C in lime than in lemon, but heat treatment destroys 60% of the vitamin.
In addition to vitamin C, lemon contains a large amount of vitamin P and phytoncides, and lime is rich in fruit acids and B vitamins.
Both lime and lemon are excellent natural sedatives that normalize the work of the cardiovascular system, strengthen blood vessels and immunity, treat lung diseases, prevent atherosclerosis and remove toxins from the body.
Thus, there are the following differences between the two fruits: lemon is larger than lime and turns yellow. Lime has a more sour and bitter taste. Its flesh is green, while the lemon flesh is transparent yellow in color. Lemon can be stored for two months, lime - no more than two weeks. Lime contains more ascorbic acid than lemon, but a large amount of it is lost during heat treatment, since raw lime is almost impossible to eat.
