Talk:Lime (fruit)

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The following statement is of unknown accuracy without specific identification of the referenced lime: Biologically, they are identical to lemons, except for certain chemicals being the chiral opposite (i.e. the mirror reflection), and arise as a mutation in lemon trees, or from seeds resulting from these.

Hybrids or species?
There is a contradiction between this article and Citrus on the taxonomic status of limes. Needs fixing SP-KP 00:24, 5 March 2006 (UTC)
 * This article has real challenges in this regard. I suspect that many different species of fruits are identified simply as "lime" around the world, but that may require a sociological investigation to confirm.  Some regionalism may be helpful in preventing confusion.  Although, even in relation only to the English language, "lime" seems to have a long, evolved, and interwoven history.  From what I've seen in North America, what most people identify only as a "lime" is actually the relatively recently bred Persian lime (though the modifier is generally unfamiliar).  I think the article could, as it does, endeavor to cover all types of "lime" fruits (including the Spanish lime, which I'm not sure is a citrus), citrus "limes", or only the Persian and key limes (which are the only fruits I've personally seen identified only as "lime").  Obviously, clarity on species versus hybrids is a refinement that can only follow these distinctions. ENeville 00:28, 6 September 2006 (UTC)

Limeys
There is a contradiction between this article and Lemon on the origin of the the nautical term 'Limey'. Needs fixing

Spanish translation
This article links to the Spanish word "Lima", but unfortunately, that is incorrect (confirmed wrong by a Peruvian living in Mexico, as well as a large number of Mexicans). I will fix the link, but here is how they should be: lime = limón (which are normally smaller and green) lemon = lima (which are normally larger and yellow) A bit counterintuitive, I grant, but that's the way it is. --Cromwellt|talk|contribs 21:31, 12 August 2006 (UTC)


 * The Spanish wiki says differently.
 * lime En inglés también se llama lime (In Englih it is also called lime)
 * lemon PrometheusX303 22:03, 12 August 2006 (UTC)
 * I know that the Spanish wiki says differently. I've been trying to get that fixed for the last two or so hours.  But someone gave me an explanation over there that helps: turns out that the words are somewhat interchangeable in Spanish, depending on the country.  In Mexico, it's just as I mentioned (even the explainer agreed).


 * I thought we were pretty sure of ourselves in English until I read about Key lime pie, which is made with a yellowish lime. I just find that bizarre.  --Cromwellt|talk|contribs 23:52, 12 August 2006 (UTC) Actually Key Limes are green - but when they ripen, turn a slight yellowish in the skin.  But the inside pulpe of a Lime is green, and Lemon pulp is yellow. Lemons are green until they ripen (just like oranges.)  I find this subject fascinating - because in Portugal Limon is yellow and Lima is green, same as English. But in Latin America including Brazil - Lima is yellow and Limon is green. Which is counter-intuitive in Spanish because limes are generally smaller than lemons - and the -on suffix connotes larger, so a limon should be larger than a lima.  Somewhere somebody screwed up.  Very curious if anyone can figure that out. (Pardon my indiference to the necessary accents.)


 * Many words can change according to regions. The most common should be used. PrometheusX303 23:59, 12 August 2006 (UTC)

Can't speak to Spanish, but in Hebrew both Lemons and Limes are called 'Limon' though there's been attempts to make Limes 'Lima' but its not been succesful. Maybe its cultural wheather they are considered different fruits or simple verieties. (Here there is actually Government radio show that broadcasts what the new words for things are. It would be very 1984 if anyone paid it any attention at all.) 88.153.142.83 23:54, 27 January 2007 (UTC)

In southern Mexico, I was told, (and I've been looking for confirmation) that the small green fruits used in drinks are actually Green Lemons!!! There were three types of lemons, big and yellow ones mainly imported, small yellow lemons and small, green lemons that were not limes or related to the fruits known as lime. The locals had never even seen (or tasted) limes and assumed gringos just called limóns verdes LIMES! I was hoping to find something here, but now I am only more confused! 76.118.238.99 03:13, 13 September 2007 (UTC)
 * From http://www.ochef.com/59.htm
 * The botanical issue you raise is complicated by the linguistic quirk that the Spanish word for lemon, limón, is primarily used to refer to limes in Mexican Spanish (alongside the regular word for lime, lima). The large, fleshy lemons that grow in California and Florida are rare south of the border, in Mexico or anywhere in Latin America. Rick Bayless, author of several prominent Mexican cookbooks, says he has only seen our yellow lemons sold commercially in northwest Mexico, where they are called limónes reales.
 * Besides differing in size and color, US lemons also have a different taste and sugar content. One place where this is particularly evident is in the preparation of seviche, where you cure or "cook" raw fish in citrus juice. In many parts of Latin America, the stronger, more acidic lemons are used. But lemons in the US are sweeter and less acidic, so we generally use lime juice instead to cure the fish.
 * Lemons and lemon juice, which are staples in so many US recipes, are seldom used in Mexican cooking, where the lime reigns. 76.118.238.99 03:26, 13 September 2007 (UTC)

Lemons not limes
My understanding is that the green limes do not contain very much vitamin C, and that British sailors needed lemons to prevent scurvy. Also, the sailors were called Limeys due to a language mix-up...User: 23:53, 19 December 2006 (UTC)Montoya

My understanding is that in those days, lemons were actually called "Lymes" - hence the name Limeys for English soldiers and to this day for the British in general. 82.1.149.72 (talk) 11:31, 9 March 2008 (UTC)


 * Your "understanding" doesn't do much for some of us. What is your source for the information? Caeruleancentaur (talk) 16:17, 14 July 2009 (UTC)

Main Photo
Why is the main photo for the article a photo of Makrut limes? I am aware that just because Persian limes are more prevalent in the U.S. doesn't mean that is the case worldwide. But the article itself states that the two most available types are the Key and the Persian. I would guess that most people outside of Southeast Asia would have a hard time even getting their hands on a Makrut Lime.

Plus, the Gallery already has quality photos of Persian limes. Anyone opposed to swapping them?

As a side note, the bit about Key lime being a retronym, under Varieties, makes no sense to me, as the explanation only talks about Persian limes.

Vanillatoast (talk) 20:17, 28 January 2008 (UTC)


 * I swapped with the Key lime photo, which looks better in general I think Indosauros (talk) 20:32, 7 March 2008 (UTC)

Production Trends
The map in the production trends section should be changed. While I agree that lemon and lime production does occur in the United States, it does not occur in the geographical areas indicated. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Phreed100 (talk • contribs) 17:33, 13 June 2008 (UTC)

Vandalism
The last 3 or 4 edits appear to be nonconstructive, if not completely disruptive. I don't have an account and don't know how to revert pages to earlier versions, but thought I could bring this up. Also, why vandalize lime? 139.179.137.70 (talk) 20:03, 19 February 2009 (UTC)
 * I've reverted to the version before it was vandalised. Pages can be reverted from the history tab by either clicking the date and time to view the old version, editing and saving, or to undo one edit use "undo" next to it. — Snigbrook  20:54, 19 February 2009 (UTC)

Producers
The part about the world's top producers contradicts the information on the map. The list and text say India is top producer, while the map claims Mexico is. 138.192.151.92 (talk) 17:42, 29 July 2010 (UTC)

Weird vandalism
If this page is viewed using the mobile site, there is a weird paragraph about lime and its color. Its not present when using the regular view, though. I have no clue how to get rid of it. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.89.121.37 (talk) 05:06, 6 August 2010 (UTC)

Health issues and lemon vitamin C
The health issues paragraph has no reference at all... I'm not sure if it should be removed.

Also, it says that lime has much more vitamin C than lemon, while the text about the british sailors above says that they were using lemons, but switche d to lime although it doesn't have as much vitamin C (which makes sense to my opinion and also has a reference). Should we remove the paragraph or at least that sentence? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Geocapital (talk • contribs) 13:43, 9 October 2011 (UTC)

Lemons have more Vit C than Limes
This page states that "Lime contains by far more vitamin C than the lemon", this is incorrect. Lemons have 53 mg/100g and it's 29mg/100g for Limes. This is my first post I was in a rush and i don't know how to edit pages.

Limes were originaly taken on ships to help combat scurvy but they later realised that lemons were around twice as effective as limes due to the higher levels of vit c. I don't know werer the original writer got the information that limes are higher in vit c! — Preceding unsigned comment added by Smitherine147 (talk • contribs) 09:43, 15 October 2011 (UTC)

By most of the the sources, limes contain at least 50% the quantity of vitamin C in lemons. However, even a quarter would have been more than enough to prevent scurvy on sailing ships. Other fruits like apples can prevent scurvy with only 10% vitamin C of that in lemons. The resurgence of scurvy in British Navy described in that reference was due to the storing and transportation conditions. --Morosanul (talk) 10:59, 4 February 2015 (UTC)

Less sour than lemons?
As far as I can tell the statement that limes are less sour than lemons is incorrect. The Ph of a lime is 1.8-2 while lemons have a Ph of 2.2 - 2.4. In fact, the lime is the fruit with the lowest Ph value known. They may taste less sour for some reason, but at least this statement needs some clarification.

- In English "sour" is only a taste and hence somewhat subjective. Ph is a measure of what we call "acidity" - I know "sourness" is the metaphor for acidity in many languages, but not English. 85.237.234.240 (talk) 19:40, 2 May 2016 (UTC)

Taxobox missing
Template:Taxobox is totally missing for this article. Jidanni (talk) 00:51, 24 August 2013 (UTC)


 * This article is about the fruit, and taxoboxes are reserved for biological taxa, such as a species, or the cultivars; the plants upon which this fruit grows. -AfadsBad (talk)|

"Limes"
There is a discussion at Talk:Limes about moving an article about a frontier and redirecting the plural here.  Crouch, Swale  ( talk ) 17:52, 21 March 2020 (UTC)

Lead clutter
User:Peter coxhead - I'm following up on our recent edits to the lead sentence. The lead of this article appears to violate Mos:Lead. Are you aware of the following guidance in MOS:LEADLANG: "Do not include foreign equivalents in the lead sentence just to show etymology." CUA 27 (talk) 17:16, 16 September 2023 (UTC)
 * Well, it seems readable as it is to me, but move it to an Etymology section if you want. Peter coxhead (talk) 06:10, 17 September 2023 (UTC)