Caviar lime or finger lime are small shaped fruits that are known as micro citrus and are a part of the Rutaceae(1), also known as the Rue family, which include all forms of citrus fruits.
This fruit is known to grow in the lowland subtropical rainforest area and the east coast of Australia. It is referred to many names such as Australian finger lime, Sauvage Lime, etc.
This fruit plant is a thorny shrub that grows up to 2-7 m, and its spines grow up to a height of 25 mm. They are flexible to grow in a wide range of soils in subtropical rainforests and dry and subtropical lowland. The only thing required for these plants to grow well is they need a nutrient-rich soil with a high level of organic matter.
Nutritional Facts
For a serving of 55g or 2 oz of finger lime it provides –
- Calories- 15
- Total Fat- 0 g
- Saturated Fat- 0 gm
- Total Carbs- 6 g
- Fiber – 2g
- Total Sugar- 1g
- Vitamin A- 0%
- Vitamin C- 25%
- Calcium-2 %
- Iron-2 %
- The richness in Vitamin C of finger lime contributes to its high antioxidant activity.
- The ORAC value is a way the antioxidant level is measured.
- 100 gm of it has an ORAC of 4,590. Pink finger limes go up to 6,510.
How Does Finger Lime Benefit Our Bodies?
- Finger lime increases the body’s immunity and helps in keeping infections away. It makes the body healthy and prevents it from getting affected by bacteria and viruses. During the viral season and change in weather, your body can fight these infections.
- Eating this fruit, which is rich in Vitamins, also prevents aging of the skin. It keeps the skin young and beautiful. This encourages the production of collagen, which is a protein the makes the skin elastic and prevents the formation of wrinkles.
- It also prevents a disease called Scurvy that is caused by deficiency by Vitamin C(2). As this is rich in Vitamin C, it nourishes your gums and stops the bleeding and swelling of gums.
- This fruit is very rich in antioxidants and fights against the free radicals that cause damage to the body.
- It is rich in Vitamin E and can treat a lot of skin diseases.
- Finger lime helps to treat a lot of blood pressure problems as it is rich in potassium.
- Every bite of this fruit increases the iron content of your body by a certain level. RBC helps to carry out oxygen to different parts of your body.
[Read: Goodness of Citus Fruits]
Ways to Use Finger Lime to Benefit Your Body
Here are a few finger lime recipes that can benefit our body in several ways.
1. Finger Lime for Vitamin C
Things you will need- A knife and few finger limes.
Method- Cut the lime into half from the middle, not lengthwise. Squeeze out the pearls from the lime. Mix them with other food or use as a topping. Do not cook them with fruits as the pearls burst in heat.
[Read: Vitamin C for Treating UTIs]
2. Finger Lime as an Essential Oil for Skin
Things you will need- 2 tsp finger lime essential oil and 2 tsp coconut oil.
Method – Mix both the oils well and then apply it to your skin. This helps to reduce acne and nourishes the skin.
[Read: Essential Oils for Skin]
3. Finger Lime as a Conditioner for Hair
Things you will need- 2 tsp of extracted juice from the pearls of finger lime, 2 tsp Argan oil, 2 tsp of Aloe Vera gel.
Method – Take a clean bowl and first mix Aloe Vera gel with Argan Oil. Add the lime juice to it and store it in an airtight bottle. Apply it to your hair and use it as a conditioner for best results.
[Read: Benefits of Lime Essential Oil]
Precautions to Consider
- Finger lime is known to have almost no side effects. But, if you have an allergy towards other citrus fruits, you could be allergic to this fruit as well. Food allergy symptoms could include hives, swelling, rashes, nausea, and vomiting.
- These limes are acidic, and it is important to rinse your mouth after eating limes.
Diverse Uses
Limes are known to be rich in vitamins and antioxidants, both of which are very required by the body. Eating it every day or drinking its juice will reduce your risk of heart disease, improve your skin, prevent kidney diseases(3), and increase iron absorption by the body. Add lime to your diet every day to boost your immunity and improve health.
FAQs
1. Can I Eat Ripe Finger Lime?
Yes. It is safe to eat this lime raw.
2. Is It Good for Hair?
Yes. It is excellent for the hair as it has Vitamin E that benefits the skin and hair. It is also rich in antioxidants that are very beneficial for the hair.
