All this while, there are perhaps thousands of articles discuss lemon water health benefits. On the other hand, very few articles that I have come across discuss lime water health benefits.
As far as I know, liquid lime extract health benefits which I would like to share with you in this article is not written or mentioned by anyone not even once.
A liquid lime extract is thought to offer higher bioavailability of nutrients and phytonutrients compared to that of lime water.
One of the reasons why lime gets less attention from American natural health practitioners and bloggers could be that lime is actually more popularly used in countries of the tropics which many varieties of lime are grown.
Conversely, lemon is popular among western natural health practitioners and the general public because it has mainly been used in cooking since antiquity.
Varieties
There are many different varieties of lime but the most commonly found in grocery stores throughout North America are key lime, Citrus aurantifolia (the ‘original lime,’ also known as Mexican lime) and Persian lime, Citrus latifolia.
The majority of cultivated species are in reality hybrids; Key limes or Mexican limes are a hybrid of 2 plants while Persian limes are a hybrid of either 3 or 4 plants.
Both lemon and lime are much less the same in term of their nutrient contents. They are both excellent sources of citric acid, vitamin C, all B vitamins except B3 and B12, and many types of minerals.
Compare: Each 100 gram of lime and lemon delivers 29.1 percent and 46.0 percent Daily Value (DV), respectively. Ripe lemon is yellow while ripe lime is greenish which reflects it carotenoid contents. That’s why lime has 1 percent DV whereas lemon has virtually none.
Phytonutrients
It contains various types of phytonutrients (plant nutrients), including alkaloids, carotenoids, coumarins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, triterpenoids, and limonoids. All of these contribute to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties.
It delivers the most abundant citrus flavonoids, including hesperidin, naringin, or neohesperidin. Other important constituents are apigenin, hesperetin, kaempferol, quercetin, naringenin, nobiletin, and rutin.
Besides potentially contributing anticancer activities, studies have also suggested that lime may be beneficial in preventing and slowing down atherosclerosis.
Maceration
Make it a habit putting in cut limes together with peel into your drinking water or juices, to enjoy all its holistic medicinal properties.
You can try the following suggestion to prepare a liquid lime extract in your kitchen:
- Remove labels and wash with clean water thoroughly.
- Cut a lime in half crosswise.
- Pour lukewarm water into a glass until ¾ full.
- Squeeze the lime and let it steep in the water.
- Cover the glass top with a saucer.
- Leave the preparation overnight.
- In the morning, remove the lime.
- Filter the liquid using a strainer.
- Drink the liquid extract first thing in the morning.
Taste
I used to prefer drinking lemon water. It offers a sour-tart taste that wakes up your taste buds. Several years ago, I found myself starting to be fond of lime water over lemon water for its smoother bitter-sweet taste.
Both are refreshing but I find lime water is more ‘cooling’, a property that may be attributed to its bitter taste.
HEALTH BENEFITS
The followings 17 health benefits of drinking the liquid lime extract are derived from lemon health benefits which I deduced on the fact that lime nutrient and phytonutrient contents are much similar to that of lemon.
1.A Post-Workout Drink
Your body is loaded with free radicals after intense workouts. Liquid lime extract with little Himalayan crystal salt and pure honey added to it is a great neutralizer of free radicals. Drinking liquid lemon extract can help replenish lost fluids during workouts.
2. ‘Alkalizes’ the Body
All nutrients and phytonutrients contents in lime synergistically promote many positives physiological effects. Lime may help neutralize free radicals, preventing/reducing inflammation, preventing cancer formation, preventing atherosclerosis, promoting better digestion, among others.
Note: Free radicals are thought by some experts to cause the blood/cell pH to ‘rise,’ which have never been proven to happen.
3. Asthma Treatment
Lime can be one of the best natural treatments for asthma because it delivers many types of nutrients, phytonutrients, and essential oils that act synergistically to reduce spasm and inflammation which are the main symptoms of asthma.
Note: lime may aggravate the symptoms in some people.
4. Balances Blood Sugar Levels
Lime peel is rich in bioflavonoids and limonoids which are believed to help control blood sugar levels. Some experts believe bioflavonoids do it by stimulating the production of insulin.
Conversely, I personally believe they do it by enhancing insulin capability to dock to insulin receptors which in turn cause efficient GLUT4 upregulation (increases in numbers) leading to better glucose transport into the cells.
5. Superb Nutrients and Phytonutrients
Besides phytonutrients, lime also contains vitamin C; many types of B vitamin except B3 and B12; minerals such as magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, copper; and essential oils, all of which uniquely promote better overall health.
6. Help You Relax
Vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, bioflavonoid, carotenoid, and limonoid contents in lime are thought to help you feel relax.
They are also thought to help reduce your high blood pressure and aid digestion.
7. Detoxifies
Please read ‘Alkalizes’ the Body’
8. Dissolves Phlegm
A traditional concoction comprises lime, warm water, and honey is said to help dissolve phlegm. Vitamin C and phytonutrients are thought to act as antiviral and antibacterial that can help alleviate upper respiratory issues such as coughs and colds.
9. Fights Cancer Cells
Vitamin C and all phytonutrient contents in lime are thought to possess potent anticancer properties. These substances help reduce oxidative stress by neutralizing free radicals which in turn preventing oxidative damage (cell component damage).
10. Heart Food
B vitamins, vitamin C, and phytonutrients found in lime are vital for your heart health. It is thought to help prevent and may possibly reverse atherosclerosis (fatty plaque build-up).
These nutrients, phytonutrients plus magnesium and potassium can help prevent heart-related illnesses like high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and irregular heartbeat.
11. Prevent and Treat Constipation
Bitter principles that include limonoids and alkaloids, vitamin C, citric acid, and perhaps essential oils are thought to help induce bile acid secretions. This, in turn, promoting better digestion as well as preventing, and treating constipation.
12. Prevent Scurvy and Atherosclerosis
Vitamin C is a co-factor for collagen production and maintenance.
When you experience scurvy, other organs are also thought to experience it at the same time as well. Therefore, taking liquid lime extract every day is believed to help prevent not only scurvy but also atherosclerosis.
13. Improves Digestive Health
Please read ‘Prevent and Treat Constipation’
14. Lowers High Blood Pressure
Many alternative practitioners believe that potassium content in lemon (thus lime) helps lower high blood pressure. Actually, the hypotensive (blood pressure-lowering) properties of lime are not solely attributed solely to potassium. Vitamin C and magnesium plus phytonutrients such as hesperidin (a bioflavonoid) and limonene (a limonoid), and possibly other types of phytonutrients, all of which have been suggested to contribute to the said properties.
15. Improves Your Immune System
Antioxidant nutrients (vitamin C, citric acid), magnesium, B vitamins, and phytonutrient (see ‘phytonutrients’) contents in lime may help harmonize and boost the immune system.
Other Health Benefits
Liquid lime extract also offers other health benefits, including
- increasing metabolism and promoting weight loss
- keeping your body hydrated
- killing worms
- preventing bad breath
- building radiant skin
- preventing uric acid accumulation
- preventing and treating kidney stones
- preventing sepsis
- maintaining healthy liver and blood vessels
