Limes are a green citrus fruit that grows on trees in tropical and subtropical climates.  Best known for preventing scurvy on ships, they are fairly small, about 3-5cm in diameter and can be either sweet or sour in taste.

Sweet limes don’t contain citric acid content; sour limes contain both a higher sugar level and citric acid content than their close cousin the lemon, contributing to their acidic, tart taste.  Today, this taste is known and loved by those who enjoy ‘Tequila slammers’ and ‘Margaritas’ around the world.

Originating in Southeast Asia, limes found their way into Egypt and North Africa about 1000 years ago. From here the Moors carried them to Spain and it was during the Crusades that limes were then spread throughout southern Europe. Christopher Columbus triumphantly brought the sour lime to the New World in 1493.

Today, limes are grown in warmer climates, since they are very susceptible to frost, namely the very southern states of America, Mexico, and Brazil.

They contain a number of elements particularly helpful to our health, acting as a mosquito repellent, a preventative for cancer and high cholesterol levels and are also highly efficient at reducing the risk of cholera.