Citrus fruits give us some respite from the scorching summer months. These fruits give us not only the daily vitamin C dose but also refresh the body from within. One of the beloved citruses in India, apart from oranges and lemons, is sweet lime. These mildly sweet and tangy fruits are sold widely and are relished for their succulent flesh and refreshing juice. Let’s take a look at the many health benefits of sweet lime or mosambi.
What is sweet lime?
Sweet lime or citrus limetta is a cultivar of lemon. A cross between citron and bitter orange, sweet lime is called mosambi in Hindi; moushumi or mushumbi lebu in Bengali; satukudi in Tamil; musambi in Kannada and Malayalam; and battayi in Telugu. The name is possibly inspired by its country of origin -- Mozambique.
Other names of the fruit includes Persian lime, sweet limetta, musami and sweet lemon.
The sweet lime tree thrives in subtropical and tropical climates. The fruits look like overgrown limes with yellow and green skin, which turns completely yellow when ripe. Unlike oranges, the skin cannot be peeled by hand. The fruit has to be sliced in order to be consumed. They have a mild, floral scent and a tangy-sweet taste.
In India, mosambi and mosambi juice are quite popular, especially in the hot months. When it is freshly juiced, it is sweet to taste. The refreshing floral taste is reminiscent of pomello or grapefruit juice. Leaving it out in the open may cause it to oxidise, giving out an unpleasant bitter taste.
Sweet limes are generally consumed raw but they can also be added to pickles, salads, drinks, sorbets and jams. The juice can also be used to marinate meat in the place of lemon juice or lime juice.
Sweet lime or mosambi nutrition
100 grams of sweet lime contains the following nutrients:
| Nutrients | Measure (Daily Value) |
| Calories | 43 |
| Carbohydrates | 9.3 gm |
| Sugars | 1.7 gm |
| Dietary fibre | 0.5 gm |
| Fat | 0.3 gm |
| Proteins | 0.7 gm |
| Vitamin C | 50 gm (60%) |
| Calcium | 40 mg (4%) |
| Iron | 0.7 mg (5%) |
| Phosphorus | 30 mg (4%) |
| Potassium | 490 mg (10%) |
Health benefits of sweet limes
Like all citrus fruits, sweet limes are rich in vitamin C, a key nutrient for boosting immune system, improving skin health, healing wounds building bones and blood cells and reducing oxidative stress.
Citrus fruits like mosambi is rich in flavonoids and limonoids, which have anti-tumour, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory effects.
Even the peel of sweet limes is rich in pectin, which lowers blood sugar and cholesterol levels. In Mexican folklore, sweet limes have the distinction of being an antidiabetic remedy.
Rich in vitamin C, sweet limes are also effective at warding off colds, regulating fever, lowering inflammation and treating digestive disorders.
Sweet limes and other citruses also contain vitamin B complex, potassium, magnesium, copper and phosphorus, apart from vitamin C.
These fruits are also rich in fibre, which benefits digestive and cardiovascular health. Following are some of the health benefits of sweet lime:
- Rich in vitamin C
- Protects against cold and infections
- Improves skin health
- Has antidiabetic properties and reduces blood sugar
- Reduces acidity
- Has antibacterial and antifungal effects
- Prevents ulcers
- Provides calcium in pregnancy
- Treats urinary problems
- Treats conjunctivitis
- Good for cardiovascular health
- Improves digestive system
- Treats constipation
- Prevents scurvy
- Reduces inflammation
- Relieves nausea
- Aids weight loss
- May reduce risk of cancer
- Reduces cholesterol
Can treat constipation and boost weight loss: Sweet limes are rich in dietary fibre, which is beneficial for the digestive system. The fibres can move food faster through the intestinal tract, preventing constipation, bloating, gas and flatulence. These low-calorie fruits make for great snacks when you are on a weight loss diet. They not only keep you full, but also supply essential micronutrients.
Good for cardiovascular health: Sweet limes are a great addition to your diet if you want to reduce cholesterol. It shows antiplatelet activity and reduces the risk of stroke. The fruits also promote heart health by fighting risk factors such as high blood sugar, obesity, blood pressure and oxidative stress.
Can dissolve gallbladder stones: Sweet limes could help in dissolving gallbladder stones thanks to d-limonene, a type of terpene present majorly in citruses.
References:
1. Phytochemical and pharmacological properties on Citrus limetta (Mosambi) Ahmed Abdullah Khan*1 , Tarique Mahmood , Hefazat H. Siddiqui and Juber Akhtar
2. Kundusen, S., Haldar, P. K., Gupta, M., Mazumder, U. K., Saha, P., Bala, A., Bhattacharya, S., & Kar, B. (2011). Evaluation of Antihyperglycemic Activity of Citrus limetta Fruit Peel in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats. ISRN endocrinology, 2011, 869273. https://doi.org/10.5402/2011/86927 3
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