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AYURVEDIC FOODS

LIME

Health Benefits & Uses

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1. Ayurvedic Perspective

2. Biocharacteristics & Herbal Actions

3. Similar foods and herbs

4. Impact: On tongue, nerves, elimination, etc.

5. Indications / Benefits

6. Comments and reviews

How Does This Ayurvedic Food Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Recipes with Lime: Virgin Mojito with Mint & Lime

Limes are strongly sour, thus encouraging secretions in the digestive tract and salivary glands. These secretions improve taste, digestion, and regular elimination (functioning as a mild laxative)

Limes and Cleansing

Lime's sour taste increases the flow of bile which aids fat digestion, reduces liver and gall bladder congestion and detoxifies the blood. Since bile contains many toxic by products from normal liver function, draining bile from the liver has a cooling and purifying effect on the blood. Lime cool and cleanse the skin because they help you sweat.

Lung Tonic

Limes cause fluid buildup in the lungs and blood plasma. The fluid buildup helps expectoration of thick, Kapha mucous. They also assist dry Vata especially when dehydration causes Dry Stomach Syndrome in autumn months.

Reduce Acidity

Limes are acidic in taste yet alkaline in effect. Limes nourish deficient blood plasma and helps rebuild fluids. It's high vitamin C content nourishes the blood. Like lemons, they reduce acidity in the stomach. They also reduces uric acid and output of urinary calcium which helps to prevent kidney stones.

Brighten Your Smile

Unlike lemons, limes are a mild anti-inflammatory. This juicy and mouth-watering fruit also has an astringent effect on capillary beds. Gently massage inflamed and bleeding gums with lime juice to soothe capillaries and reduce bleeding. Limes help prevent tartar buildup, which is known to be a cause of bleeding gums. Limes also contain natural bleaching agents to help brighten your smile. Lime may be used as a antibacterial gargle for sore throats.

Recipes with Lime: Coconut Water with Lime, Ginger & Cardamom

Cooking Lime

Lime adds flavor to cold drinks, and sherbets. It is a common ingredient in Mexican, Vietnamese, and Thai cuisine. In Latino food it may be used as a garnish or to pickle fish in ceviche. It is often used in chutneys and pickles in India while Persian and Iraqi food features dried or black limes. Lime zest may be used to accent or freshen any meal.Browse Recipes

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Is Lime Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether 'Lime' is a good fit. Complete the basic quiz in 1 minute, or go deeper with additional quizzes at your own leisure to learn more about your body.

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AYURVEDA'S GUIDE TO VITALITY & WHOLESOME NOURISHMENT

Your Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body and your specific imbalances. With an Ayurvedic diet you feel joy and satisfaction because what you are eating truly nourishes and balances you. Disease results from diets and lifestyles that are incompatible with your nature. By eating a personalized diet matched to your body, you experience optimal health. See How it Works.

SERVING SIZE: 1/4 whole

MEAL: SNACK-DESSERT

EAT IN: SUMMER

Biocharacteristics of Lime

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

INCREASES

Increases These Biocharacteristics (Gunas)

Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which characteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every characteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite characteristic.

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CLEAR

ABOUT CLEAR BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CLEAR

COLD

ABOUT COLD BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold refers to anything that reduces body temperature, metabolism, and blood flow.

LEARN MORE ABOUT COLD

EASY

ABOUT EASY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Easy refers to anything easy to digest, or digests quickly.

LEARN MORE ABOUT EASY

LIGHT

ABOUT LIGHT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Lightness is identified by reduced weight.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LIGHT

LIQUEFIED

ABOUT LIQUEFIED BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Substances that thin fluids (lower viscosity of blood plasma). These may include blood thinners or mucolytic herbs.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LIQUEFIED

TASTES

The 6 Tastes

Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below?

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SOUR

ABOUT SOUR BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Sour refers to anything fermented or acidic.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SOUR

DOSHAS

The Three Doshas / Body Types

According to the biocharacteristic theory of medicine, people tend to get sick, over and over again, due to habitual causes and imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history.

The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. They are easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. They tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. If they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Anabolic people tend to be stable and grounded.

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PACIFIES

HAS THE FOLLOWING

Moves Energy:

Downward

DOWNWARD

Downward-moving (Adho Gati Marga) substances move food downward in the GI tract, settle the nervous system, and relax muscles.

SEE ALL 'DOWNWARD' FOODS / HERBS

Outward

OUTWARD

Outward-moving substances stimulate circulation, push heat towards the skin, or are stimulating.

SEE ALL 'OUTWARD' FOODS / HERBS

Affinity:
Bowel Poop Elimination

HERBAL ACTIONS
(see all)

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Lime
Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

Digestion:

Quenches Thirst

QUENCHES-THIRST

An herb or substance that relieves thirst.

SEE ALL 'QUENCHES-THIRST' FOODS / HERBS

Sialogogue

STRONG SIALOGOGUE

A sialogogue increases saliva. Sour foods are often great sialogogues, and increase output of all exocrine glands. Salty taste is very moistening as well. Bitter, pungent and sweettastes also increase salivary output but to a lesser degree. Astringents.

SEE ALL 'SIALOGOGUE' FOODS / HERBS

Appetizer

APPETIZER

Herbs that cleanse the palate & stimulate hunger or desire to eat.

SEE ALL 'APPETIZER' FOODS / HERBS

Digestive

DIGESTIVE

Herbs that encourage healthy digestion.

SEE ALL 'DIGESTIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Bowel Health:

General Laxative

GENERAL-LAXATIVE

Promotes a bowel movement. General laxative is an umbrella term that refers to several different types of laxatives.

SEE ALL 'GENERAL-LAXATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Stool Softener

STOOL-SOFTENER

Softens hard and difficult to eliminate stool. Stool softeners are the safest and most gentle type of laxative. Examples include warm milk with ghee.

SEE ALL 'STOOL-SOFTENER' FOODS / HERBS

Mind, Stress & Sleep:

Improves Focus

IMPROVES-FOCUS

Reduces scattered thoughts. Creates a steady mind. Includes herbs that relax (for Vata) and herbs that stimulate (for Kapha).

SEE ALL 'IMPROVES-FOCUS' FOODS / HERBS

Skin Care & Beauty:

Diaphoretic

DIAPHORETIC

An herb that induces sweating, often by dilating blood vessels close to the skin.

SEE ALL 'DIAPHORETIC' FOODS / HERBS

Emollient

EMOLLIENT

Soothes & softens the skin. Often a topical demulcent or oil.

SEE ALL 'EMOLLIENT' FOODS / HERBS

Respiratory-Health:

Expectorant

EXPECTORANT

Expectorants help you eliminate mucus from the lungs. These herbs often work by increasing the quantity of mucus, or thinning the mucus. Expectorants are indicated when phlegm congests the lower respiratory tract.

SEE ALL 'EXPECTORANT' FOODS / HERBS

Immune System:

Flushes Membranes

FLUSHES-MEMBRANES

Herbs in this category stimulate mucus membranes to release fluids, flushing them out.

SEE ALL 'FLUSHES-MEMBRANES' FOODS / HERBS

Heart & Circulation:

Alterative

ALTERATIVE

Restores the proper function of the body by cleansing the blood and balancing blood chemistry. In Ayurveda terms, they pacify Pitta in rakta. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter.

SEE ALL 'ALTERATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Refrigerant

REFRIGERANT

An herb or substance that strongly cools the body. Can be helpful in cases of heat conditions.

SEE ALL 'REFRIGERANT' FOODS / HERBS

Liver & Gallbladder:

Cholagogue

STRONG CHOLAGOGUE

Cholagogues stimulate the production & release of bile from the liver & gallbladder. This refreshes and cleanses these organs, as well as increases bile in the small intestines.

SEE ALL 'CHOLAGOGUE' FOODS / HERBS

Other:

Detoxicant

Constituents:

Rutin

STRONG RUTIN

Rutin is a flavonoid with anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Commonly used to treat conditions such as varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and high blood pressure.

SEE ALL 'RUTIN' FOODS / HERBS

Aromatase Inhibitor

AROMATASE-INHIBITOR

Blocks estrogen synthesis by inhibiting conversion of progesterone and testosterone into estrogen.

SEE ALL 'AROMATASE-INHIBITOR' FOODS / HERBS

Flavonoids

FLAVONOIDS

Flavonoids are a colorful type of polyphenol. As all polyphenols, they have a strong antioxidant effect. Many flavonoids have an anti-inflammatory, and/or antiallergen effect.

SEE ALL 'FLAVONOIDS' FOODS / HERBS

Polyphenols

POLYPHENOLS

Polyphenols are powerful antioxidants seen in many fruits and vegetables. There are more than 8,000 types.

SEE ALL 'POLYPHENOLS' FOODS / HERBS

Foods with a Similar Nature to Lime

Lemon

Lemon has these Actions in Common

Diaphoretic, Expectorant, Improves-focus, Sialogogue, Cholagogue, Digestive, Flushes-membranes, Quenches-thirst, Stool-softener, Alterative, Detoxicant, Emollient, General-laxative, Refrigerant, Appetizer

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Red Wine Vinegar

Red Wine Vinegar has these Actions in Common

Detoxicant, Expectorant, Improves-focus, Alterative, Diaphoretic, Flushes-membranes, Sialogogue, Cholagogue, Emollient, General-laxative

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White Vinegar

White Vinegar has these Actions in Common

Cholagogue, Emollient, General-laxative, Detoxicant, Expectorant, Improves-focus, Alterative, Diaphoretic, Flushes-membranes, Sialogogue

LEARN MORE

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar has these Actions in Common

Detoxicant, Expectorant, Improves-focus, Alterative, Diaphoretic, Flushes-membranes, Sialogogue, Cholagogue, Emollient, General-laxative

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Tamarind

Tamarind has these Actions in Common

General-laxative, Stool-softener, Digestive, Improves-focus, Expectorant, Sialogogue, Diaphoretic

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Salt (Mineral Salt)

Salt (Mineral Salt) has these Actions in Common

Cholagogue, Flushes-membranes, Stool-softener, Detoxicant, General-laxative, Digestive, Sialogogue

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Apple (cooked)

Apple (cooked) has these Actions in Common

Quenches-thirst, General-laxative, Stool-softener, Cholagogue, Improves-focus, Detoxicant

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Coriander Seed

Coriander Seed has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Diaphoretic, Appetizer, Digestive, Detoxicant, Expectorant

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Tarragon

Tarragon has these Actions in Common

Cholagogue, Digestive, Alterative, Detoxicant, Appetizer, Diaphoretic

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Cilantro

Cilantro has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Detoxicant, Appetizer, Digestive, Cholagogue, Refrigerant

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Herb Supplements with a Similar Nature to Lime

Haritaki

Haritaki has these Actions in Common

Detoxicant, Digestive, Expectorant, Flushes-membranes, General-laxative, Sialogogue, Alterative, Stool-softener, Appetizer

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Amalaki

Amalaki has these Actions in Common

Sialogogue, Alterative, Stool-softener, Detoxicant, Digestive, General-laxative, Improves-focus, Quenches-thirst, Refrigerant

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Triphala

Triphala has these Actions in Common

Improves-focus, Sialogogue, Stool-softener, Alterative, Detoxicant, Digestive, Flushes-membranes, General-laxative

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Yellow Dock

Yellow Dock has these Actions in Common

Cholagogue, Detoxicant, Digestive, General-laxative, Refrigerant, Alterative

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Wild Ginger

Wild Ginger has these Actions in Common

Sialogogue, Appetizer, Detoxicant, Diaphoretic, Digestive, Expectorant

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Chyavanprash Nutritive Jam

Chyavanprash Nutritive Jam has these Actions in Common

General-laxative, Stool-softener, Alterative, Detoxicant, Digestive, Expectorant

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Mugwort

Mugwort has these Actions in Common

Cholagogue, Detoxicant, Diaphoretic, Digestive, Refrigerant, Appetizer

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Goldenseal

Goldenseal has these Actions in Common

Digestive, General-laxative, Refrigerant, Alterative, Cholagogue, Detoxicant

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Dandelion Root

Dandelion Root has these Actions in Common

Detoxicant, Digestive, Refrigerant, Alterative, Cholagogue

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Bhumyamalaki

Bhumyamalaki has these Actions in Common

Digestive, General-laxative, Alterative, Cholagogue, Detoxicant

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Nagaradi Kashaya (Amruthotharam)

Nagaradi Kashaya (Amruthotharam) has these Actions in Common

General-laxative, Stool-softener, Alterative, Cholagogue, Digestive

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Impact of Lime

In each clinical research trial below, students from the Joyful Belly School of Ayurveda ate the selected food for 3 days and reported the pharmacological effects. See other clinical research trials for diet & herbs at Joyful Belly.