Limes: Nutrition Facts and 5 Potential Health Benefits

Limes are a popular small green fruit belonging to the citrus family. The most common variety is known as the Persian lime, which has the scientific name of Citrus × latifolia.

Limes offer some distinct nutritional benefits, particularly their rich vitamin C content and provision of bioactive compounds like hesperidin, which research suggests may have cardiovascular benefits in high doses.

In this article, we examine the full nutritional properties of limes, their benefits, and what the evidence from recent studies indicates about their potential health effects.

Potential Benefits

Most of the health benefits limes may offer revolve around their vitamin C, citric acid, and polyphenol content.

1) Source of Polyphenols Like Hesperidin

Limes are a source of several polyphenols, including flavonoids like hesperidin and eriocitrin.

Among these, hesperidin has been the subject of research attention for its proposed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

Notably, a 2023 systematic review involving 705 participants indicated that hesperidin may:

• Reduce cardiovascular risk markers: The review found that high-dose hesperidin supplementation lowered triglycerides, systolic blood pressure, and LDL cholesterol, which is sometimes referred to as “bad cholesterol.”
• Require a high effective dose: The study’s authors determined that the data indicates an effective dose of 1,000 mg for at least eight weeks.

Based on these findings, high doses of hesperidin may support cardiovascular health.

2) Citric Acid and Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are a painful condition with a high recurrence rate. They are most commonly formed when oxalate, a compound found in certain plant foods and also produced by the body, binds with calcium in the body.

However, citrate (citric acid) can also bind with calcium, which may help to reduce the risk of kidney stones forming in individuals prone to them. Limes are a rich source of citric acid, providing approximately 1.38 grams per ounce (28.35g) serving. This is the acid responsible for their sour, tart flavor.

Notably, a 2017 systematic review found that citrus fruits, such as limes and lemons, increase urinary citrate levels – the amount of citrate in urine. Limes contain a similar amount of citric acid to lemons, and 4 ounces (113g) of lemon juice has been shown to raise citrate levels.

This is because dietary citrate converts to bicarbonate in the body, which makes the blood more alkaline. As a result of the higher alkaline levels, the kidney allows citrate to pass into the urine.

It is thought that this may help protect against kidney stone formation, with data indicating that 20–60% of individuals with kidney stones may have low urinary citrate levels.

3) High in Vitamin C

In addition to citric acid, limes are an excellent source of another acid called ascorbic acid, which is otherwise known as vitamin C.

A single 67g lime typically contains 19.5 mg of vitamin C, which is equal to 22% of the daily value.

Vitamin C plays numerous important roles in the body, and maintaining sufficient levels is vital for its supportive role in the immune system and its ability to help fight oxidative stress.

4) May Enhance Polyphenol Absorption

Another interesting research finding about lime is that, in addition to containing polyphenols of its own, it may increase the absorption of polyphenols in grains.

For example, a 2016 study demonstrated that adding lime juice to roasted millet increased the bioaccessibility of flavonoids by 25%. This suggests a higher amount of flavonoids may be absorbed from the millet.

Flavonoids are a type of polyphenol (plant chemical) thought to offer potential health benefits. For example, a large 2025 observational study involving 124,804 participants found a link between individuals with the most diverse flavonoid intake and a 6–20% lower risk of all-cause mortality.

5) May Increase Iron Absorption

Another potential benefit of lime is its ability to increase non-heme iron absorption. Non-heme iron is the type of iron found in plant-based foods, and it has a lower absorption rate than heme iron, which is found in animal foods.

Notably, research indicates that consuming vitamin C alongside a source of non-heme iron increases the iron absorption rate.

While the exact increase depends on the context of the meal, the dose of iron, and the amount of vitamin C, studies show consistent increases. For instance, one study found that increasing vitamin C intake from 50 mg to 250 mg increased iron absorption from a meal by 100%.

This benefit is not distinct to lime, and any source of vitamin C, whether an orange or a potato, may have the same effect. However, lime is relatively unique in the sense that it’s easy to add to foods. For example, it is easy to squeeze some fresh lime juice on top of a meal containing plant-based iron sources.

Research has also indicated that citric acid, which is also present in limes, helps to increase iron absorption. In one study, a small amount of citric acid (60 mg) significantly boosted iron absorption from an oat-based drink.

As a rich dietary source of both citric acid and vitamin C, limes are well placed for their potential ability to increase iron absorption.

Potential Drawbacks

While relatively uncommon, research has uncovered some potential downsides from using limes.

Skin Reactions (Phytophotodermatitis)

Limes have been linked to skin reactions and rashes, more specifically phytophotodermatitis.

Phytophotodermatitis is a condition characterized by painful rashes and blisters. It can occur due to a reaction between UV light and certain plant chemicals; compounds found in plant-based foods.

In the case of limes, they contain compounds called furanocoumarins, like bergamottin and dihydroxybergamottin, that can cause this reaction.

Several case studies have reported on painful reactions from lime-related phytophotodermatitis. While uncommon, these cases have occurred in contexts such as:

• Long exposure: One case came from squeezing limes for one hour before attending a pool party.
• Cooking class: Another case happened after one patient handled and squeezed limes during a holiday cooking class while spending lots of time in the sun.

Unless you are spending time in the sun with lime juice on your hands, phytophotodermatitis is relatively rare and not something to overly worry about.

Overconsumption and Dental Erosion

One notable case study found that a 49-year-old woman likely suffered dental erosion from “inappropriate use of lime juice.” It is thought that she had over-consumed lime juice as she had mistakenly believed it to be a slimming aid.

While lime juice is acidic, this case study relates to extreme use of lime rather than typical dietary intake.

Nutrition Facts

Let’s now examine the full nutritional values of limes. The data below shows the macronutrient, vitamin, and mineral content of limes per 100g and per 67-gram lime.

Data source: USDA – Limes, raw

Calories and Macronutrients

Nutrient	Per 100g (% DV)	Per 67g lime (% DV)
Calories	30 kcal	20 kcal
Carbohydrates	10.5g (4%)	7.04g (3%)
Fiber	2.8g (10%)	1.88g (7%)
Sugars	1.69g	1.13g
Fat	0.2g (<1%)	0.13g (<1%)
Saturated fat	0.02g (<1%)	0.02g (<1%)
Monounsaturated fat	0.02g	0.01g
Polyunsaturated fat	0.06g	0.04g
Omega-3	0.02g	0.01g
Omega-6	0.04g	0.02g
Protein	0.7g (1%)	0.47g (1%)
Cholesterol	0 mg (0%)	0 mg (0%)

As the data shows, limes are low in calories and provide a small amount of carbohydrates.

Vitamins

Vitamin	Per 100g (% DV)	Per 67g lime (% DV)
Vitamin A (RAE)	2 mcg (<1%)	1.34 mcg (<1%)
Vitamin C	29.1 mg (32%)	19.5 mg (22%)
Vitamin D	0 mcg (0%)	0 mcg (0%)
Vitamin E	0.22 mg (1%)	0.15 mg (1%)
Vitamin K	0.6 mcg (<1%)	0.4 mcg (<1%)
Thiamin (B1)	0.03 mg (3%)	0.02 mg (2%)
Riboflavin (B2)	0.02 mg (2%)	0.01 mg (1%)
Niacin (B3)	0.2 mg (1%)	0.13 mg (1%)
Pantothenic acid (B5)	0.22 mg (4%)	0.15 mg (3%)
Vitamin B6	0.04 mg (2%)	0.03 mg (2%)
Folate (B9)	8 mcg (2%)	5.36 mcg (1%)
Vitamin B12	0 mcg (0%)	0 mcg (0%)
Choline	5.1 mg (1%)	3.4 mg (1%)

Limes contain high (>20% DV) levels of vitamin C and a broader range of vitamins in smaller amounts.

Minerals

Mineral	Per 100g (% DV)	Per 67g lime (% DV)
Calcium	33 mg (3%)	22.1 mg (2%)
Iron	0.6 mg (3%)	0.4 mg (2%)
Magnesium	6 mg (1%)	4.02 mg (1%)
Phosphorus	18 mg (1%)	12.1 mg (1%)
Potassium	102 mg (2%)	68.3 mg (1%)
Sodium	2 mg (<1%)	1.34 mg (<1%)
Zinc	0.11 mg (1%)	0.07 mg (1%)
Copper	0.07 mg (8%)	0.04 mg (4%)
Manganese	0.01 mg (<1%)	0.01 mg (<1%)
Selenium	0.4 mcg (1%)	0.27 mcg (<1%)

Limes provide a moderate amount of copper and low amounts of the other essential minerals.

How To Use Limes

Since limes can be quite sour, you may wonder how to use them. Here are some ideas that are quick and simple:

• Make lime tea: Squeeze a lime into a cup of hot water for a quick and refreshing fruity tea.
• Guacamole: Lime juice is a key ingredient in the Mexican condiment, guacamole. Combine mashed avocado and a squeeze of fresh lime juice, then add your choice of ingredients like chopped onion, cilantro, and salt to taste.
• Eat them whole: While most people are unlikely to enjoy eating a lime as they would an apple, it is an option for those that enjoy sour foods.
• Lime and pancakes: Lemon juice is a traditional pancake topping, and lime juice can work just as well.
• Lime water: Similar to lime tea; just add freshly squeezed lime juice to a glass of water for a fruity flavored water.
• Squeeze into your favorite dish: You can also add lime juice to salads, pasta dishes, and even curries as a flavor enhancer.

Summary

The key benefits of limes are that they add vitamin C, small amounts of fiber, and polyphenols such as hesperidin to the diet.

While research has shown that some of the compounds in limes, such as hesperidin and citric acid, may have benefits, it is unclear how much effect simply eating a lime would have.

However, people don’t eat just one food, and small wins across the total diet can all add up, which is why most dietary advice encourages a balanced diet.

References