Limes and lemons though used interchangeably are two different fruits of the same family. They are both citruses in flavor. Their appearance can easily differentiate the both of them.
(A) Lemon
The lemon is generally larger and has an attractive bright yellow thick skin or rind. It’s a little sweeter when compared to that of lime though lemons are highly citric themselves.
(B) Lime
The lime, on the other hand, has its rind in shades of green. The fruit itself is smaller than the lemon. Its flavor is slightly sourer than lemon with less or no sweetness at all.
Lime vs. lemon
Though due to its green appearance and small size it is often said that limes further mature into lemons. But, that is not true. Even their nutritional benefits are same except a negligibly higher protein content of lemons.
Since the two fruits are different, we will be taking into account its types under different sections.
(A) Various Types of Lemons
1) Dorshapo
This fruit has really low acid content and is often called a sweet lemon. The skin it has is smooth and thin.
2) Eureka
These lemons have a smooth bark with thin skin. It has a few seeds and has a great growth rate in Mediterranean climatic conditions.
3) Verna
These lemons are large. The bark of these lemons is often rough and thick. It provides a mildly citric juice, and this type is famous in and around Spain.
4) Vila Franca
This variety is similar to the Eureka type but has more seeds in comparison to it.
5) Lisbon
With a lot of its characteristics being similar to Eureka, it is still a separate classification due to the roughness in its rind.
6) Femminello
More acidic juice is received from this variety. Though, the juice content is less as compared to other types. It is generally produced in Italy.
7) Meyer
These lemons are Chinese in origin. They do not possess the characteristic aroma associated with a lemon. Their rind is usually very thin and soft. The flesh color is a deep yellow.
8) Fino Citron
A thorny plant bears this fruit thus not many people produce the same. It contains a high-quality juice with a good amount of acid in it.
9) Interdonato
This is another Italian variety with very few seeds. It is a large and elongated fruit, but not much of juice is garnered from this type either.
10) Kutdiken
It is a Turkish variety of lemon. All its characteristics and even the juice contained in it is just like the other Italian varieties.
11) Primo Fori
These lemons bore few seeds with a fairly round shape and juicy pulp. Their rind is usually smooth and thin.
12) Lapithkiotiki
These lemons have an extremely juicy pulp and a thin rind. These lemons are usually famous along the North Cyprus Coastline.
13) Genova
Another fruit type with a high pulp and juice content. These smooth-skinned lemons are produced in South America.
14) Fine
This fruit is small and with a thin crust. It is usually spherical or oval and has a high juice content with very few, almost no seeds.
15) Avalon
These lemons have a rough rind and are native to Florida.
16) Bearss
It is referred to as the true lemon due to its high quality of juice. It rind often contains a high amount of essential oil. These trees have great productivity as well.
17) Finger Citron
This fruit has no particular shape but looks like tentacles or fingers, and thus, that is where it gets its name from. It grows in the foothills of Himalayas. It hardly has any pulp or juice but is used more for its rind and pith.
18) Bush Lemon
These lemons have hard and bumpy skin. Its juice content is not that high, but its citric flesh can be used as the zest to add flavor to any delicacy or drink.
19) Citron
This type owes its origin to India. It is a large fruit and has a really low juice content. But the white pith that is the white area between the pulp and the yellow skin is its most important part.
It is often added to various gourmet treats, and it has its medical uses as well. The oil extracted from its peel is often used as an antibiotic. While the citron juice along with honey is also considered as a poison antidote.
(B) Various Types of Limes
1) Tahitian
These limes change their color from greenish yellow to dark green as they mature. Two varieties of Tahitian lime are commonly known:
- Persian: These are generally oval and are almost the size of an egg.
- Bearss: This is a smaller variety which is almost seedless.
2) Mexican Limes
These limes are smaller than other types and are round in shape. They have a high juice content which is highly acidic.
3) Australian Desert Lime
As the name suggests, these limes can grow in the harsh conditions of a desert. But it has a different punch to its flavor and is very small in size when compared to the average size of a lime.
4) Kaffir limes
These limes often have a little juice content that too is bitter to taste. Their zest and leaves are more useful due to the essential oil content that they have.
5) LimeQuats
Lime and kumquats are crosses bred to make limequats which have an acidic lime flavor and a yellowish appearance.
6) Kalamansi
It is one of the tart limes and is also called calamondin. It is usually very small in size, and the rind is equally thin.
7) Australian Finger Limes
These limes have a lemony-lime flavor to them and are aromatic like herbs. Their texture is much like caviar.
8) Rangpur Lime
These are a cross breed between mandarin oranges and a lemon. Their lime like aroma makes them qualify as a type of lime. They have a high juice content with tart and acidic flavor to it.
9) West Indian Lime
These limes are usually sour with high acidic content. They are full of juice and are small in structure. They have a lot of seeds in them.
Conclusion
Lemons and limes are highly citric fruits and can be enjoyed in salads and another delicacy as a flavoring. These fruits have a high nutritional value and are often used in aromatherapies.
Its high content of citric acid makes them a good source of Vitamin C which in turn helps our skin stay fuller and younger. Not only this, but they also consist of folic acid which helps a fetus in its development.