What the evidence says. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive.
Nutrition per serving 1 medium (67 g)
Water59.1 g89%
Sugars1.1 g2%
Fibre1.9 g3%
Other carbs4 g6%
Protein0.5 g1%
Fat0.1 g0%
What's in one serving, by weight — average composition (USDA).One serving as % of the adult daily requirement (FDA Daily Values). The bold outer ring = 100% of a day's needs.
Lime (Citrus aurantiifolia) is a fruit used for raises urinary citrate (an inhibitor of calcium stone formation) in hypocitraturic stone formers. NutriDex grades the human evidence as Preliminary. Lime is a small, intensely acidic citrus whose health interest rests more on its organic-acid and vitamin-C content than on large clinical trials of the fruit itself. The best-supported use is in nephrolithiasis: a parallel-group RCT showed freshly squeezed lime juice raised urinary citrate—an inhibitor of calcium stone formation—comparably to orange juice, though, unlike orange and melon, lime did NOT significantly raise urinary pH, potassium, or net alkali absorption (its citrate rise is attributed to high citric acid rather than alkali), and no trial proves lime alone cuts stone recurrence. Its vitamin C is a well-established enhancer of non-heme iron absorption, a robust mechanistic finding extrapolated to lime as a dietary vitamin-C source rather than tested as lime per se. Citrus flavonoids improve endothelial function in a meta-analysis of RCTs, and high citrus/fruit intake is linked to lower stroke and cardiovascular risk in large cohorts, but these data are for citrus broadly, not lime specifically. A notable real-world finding is that adding lime juice to food was protective against cholera in a West African outbreak. Overall the human evidence specific to lime is preliminary and largely indirect, with most benefits inferred from its nutrients and from citrus as a class.
Purported Benefits
✓Raises urinary citrate (an inhibitor of calcium stone formation) in hypocitraturic stone formers
✓Vitamin C strongly enhances non-heme (plant) iron absorption
✓Citrus flavonoids improve endothelial function (flow-mediated dilation) in RCT meta-analysis
✓Antimicrobial: lime juice inhibited Vibrio cholerae growth and was protective in a cholera outbreak
✓Provides vitamin C and antioxidant phytochemicals as part of overall fruit-intake benefits
✓May contribute to lower cardiovascular and stroke risk as part of high fruit/citrus intake
Dosing & Compounds
Typical Dose
1 medium lime (~67 g) or 30–60 mL juice; 1–2 limes daily as a culinary acidulant
Highly acidic juice can erode tooth enamel and aggravate reflux or mouth ulcers. Skin or lips contaminated with lime juice (peel oils) plus sun exposure cause phytophotodermatitis—a painful blistering burn from furanocoumarins (the classic "margarita burn"). Furanocoumarins can also inhibit intestinal CYP3A4, potentially raising levels of drugs affected by the grapefruit-juice interaction, though lime's effect is generally smaller. Otherwise very safe in culinary amounts. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Lime with any medicine.
Lime is most often taken for Raises urinary citrate (an inhibitor of calcium stone formation) in hypocitraturic stone formers, Vitamin C strongly enhances non-heme (plant) iron absorption, Citrus flavonoids improve endothelial function (flow-mediated dilation) in RCT meta-analysis, Antimicrobial: lime juice inhibited Vibrio cholerae growth and was protective in a cholera outbreak. Tart citrate-rich citrus for stones and vessels
Does Lime work — what does the evidence say?
Preliminary evidence. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive. Lime is a small, intensely acidic citrus whose health interest rests more on its organic-acid and vitamin-C content than on large clinical trials of the fruit itself. The best-supported use is in nephrolithiasis: a parallel-group RCT showed freshly squeezed lime juice raised urinary citrate—an inhibitor of calcium stone formation—comparably to orange juice, though, unlike orange and melon, lime did NOT significantly raise urinary pH, potassium, or net alkali absorption (its citrate rise is attributed to high citric acid rather than alkali), and no trial proves lime alone cuts stone recurrence. Its vitamin C is a well-established enhancer of non-heme iron absorption, a robust mechanistic finding extrapolated to lime as a dietary vitamin-C source rather than tested as lime per se. Citrus flavonoids improve endothelial function in a meta-analysis of RCTs, and high citrus/fruit intake is linked to lower stroke and cardiovascular risk in large cohorts, but these data are for citrus broadly, not lime specifically. A notable real-world finding is that adding lime juice to food was protective against cholera in a West African outbreak. Overall the human evidence specific to lime is preliminary and largely indirect, with most benefits inferred from its nutrients and from citrus as a class.
What is the typical dose of Lime?
1 medium lime (~67 g) or 30–60 mL juice; 1–2 limes daily as a culinary acidulant
Is Lime safe? Any cautions or side effects?
Highly acidic juice can erode tooth enamel and aggravate reflux or mouth ulcers. Skin or lips contaminated with lime juice (peel oils) plus sun exposure cause phytophotodermatitis—a painful blistering burn from furanocoumarins (the classic "margarita burn"). Furanocoumarins can also inhibit intestinal CYP3A4, potentially raising levels of drugs affected by the grapefruit-juice interaction, though lime's effect is generally smaller. Otherwise very safe in culinary amounts.
How many studies support Lime?
NutriDex cites 12 sources for Lime, graded "Preliminary".
Cite this page
APA
Peh, D. (2026). Lime (Citrus aurantiifolia): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects & Evidence. NutriDex — The Supplement Research Compendium. Retrieved 16 Sept 2026, from https://nutridex.info/s/lime
BibTeX
@misc{nutridex_lime,
author = {Peh, Daryl},
title = {Lime (Citrus aurantiifolia): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects \& Evidence},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {NutriDex --- The Supplement Research Compendium},
url = {https://nutridex.info/s/lime},
note = {Reviewed by Dr Daryl Peh, MBBS Singapore, MMed FM. Accessed 2026-09-16}
}
For medical claims, citing the underlying primary studies linked above is preferred. NutriDex is an educational reference, not medical advice.