Limes and lemons are citrus fruits that are highly acidic and very similar. But, limes are more acidic than lemons and they are usually small and green. Lemons are larger than limes and they are yellow in color. Both limes and lemons have good nutritional qualities and they are very healthy.
Also, both fruits come in seedless varieties, but more about that you will see below. In this article we will talk about limes and their seedlessness. Do limes contain seeds? Which are lime varieties and how can you distinguish them?
In this article you will get the answers to all these questions, but first we will tell you something more about limes. If you also love eating limes, we are sure that this article will be interesting for you, so come on.
More about Limes
A lime is a hybrid citrus fruit that is typically round and green. Limes contain acidic juice vesicles and they are used to accent the flavors of many foods and beverages. There are different varieties of limes, such as Persian lime, Key lime, Kaffir lime, etc. Limes are a great source of vitamins, dietary fiber and many other nutrients. Lime peel and flesh are rich in polyphenols and terpenes which have many health benefits for humans. Limes are similar to lemons but they have higher contents of sugar than lemons. You can make lime juice by squeezing fresh limes, but you can also buy lime juice in bottles. Lime juice is used in many cocktails and lime pickles are a common ingredient in Indian cuisine.
There are also dried limes that are used as a flavoring in Persian and Iraqi cuisines. Limes are also used in cosmetic industry. There are many perfumes and lotions made from lime extracts or lime essential oils. Below you will see more about limes and their varieties. We will tell you whether limes contain seeds or they are seedless, as many other citrus fruits.
Do Limes Contain Seeds?
Well, it depends on the variety of the lime. Limes generally don’t contain seeds because they are not able to produce them. It means that limes are essentially sterile. Limes that you can find at stores are naturally seedless. These limes have parthenocarpy and they are classified as a parthenocarpic fruit. What does it mean? Well, it means that limes are able to create fruit without fertilization.
Actually, the flowers of these limes don’t require pollen in order to make fruit. This way we get sterile fruits that don’t contain seeds. Persian limes are seedless limes that are very popular for commercial use. They are less acidic and they are bigger than lime varieties which contain seeds.
Also, it is considered that seedless varieties have longer shelf life. Just continue reading and you will find out more about lime varieties.
Which Are the Most Popular Lime Varieties?
Persian Limes. Most people believe that lime is a big green fruit that looks like lemon and it is almost the same size of a lemon. But, these are only Persian limes or Tahiti varieties and they are not considered true limes. These limes native to California are considered hybrids and they are also called Bearss limes. Why are Persian limes seedless? Persian limes are actually a natural hybrid of true limes. As you may know, most citrus fruits have two sets of chromosomes, but Persian limes have three. It means that the three sets of chromosomes make Persian limes sterile and therefore seedless. On the other hand, there are Key limes which contain seeds.
True Limes. True limes are native to India or Asia and they are also called Key, Mexican or West Indian limes. These limes are small and round. They are very acidic and more sour than Persian limes. Sometimes they are also slightly bitter in taste. Also, true limes contain seeds and they are usually yellow in color.
Kaffir Lime. There is also the Kaffir Lime that is related to true limes. This variety is best known for the use of its leaves in Thai cooking. The fruits of Kaffir lime are round with a bumpy rind and a nob on the top. Also, its fruits are seedy and very bitter in taste. Fruits of this variety of limes are used in hair wash and insect repellent.
Finger Lime. Another variety of limes are finger limes. Finger limes are long and skinny and they grow up to 3 inches long. The skin of finger limes is thin and the fruits have firm juice vesicles. The flavor of this variety is a combination of lime and lemon with herbaceous notes.
Rangpur Lime. These limes look like mandarins so they are called mandarin limes or lemandarins as well. Rangpur limes are usually medium sized. Also, rangpur limes contain seeds and they are native to India. Rangpur lime is actually a hybrid of mandarin and citron. The rind and the juice of rangpur lime have a spicy flavor, which is often used for making cocktails and marmalades.
Sweet Lime. Sweet limes are citrus hybrids that include varieties such as sweet lemon, sweet limeta, Indian or Palestinian sweet lime, etc.
These are some of the most popular lime varieties, but there are also many others. Now when you know the most important lime varieties, you can choose the one that suits your tastes.
Summary
As you have seen in this article, limes and lemons are very similar in nutritional sense and they are both acidic fruits. Limes are more acidic, smaller and green in color, so it is not difficult to distinguish them from lemons.
As we have already said, most limes that you can find at stores are without seeds. These are usually Persian limes, which are the most popular and available variety of limes.
There are also many other lime varieties, such as Key lime, Sweet lime, Rangpur lime, Kaffir lime, etc. Most of them are seedless, but there are also varieties that contain seeds. Regardless of whether variety you choose, we are sure that you will enjoy its flavor and its health benefits.
