Limes were first grown on a large scale in southern Iraq, today they are grown across South Asia and South and Central America with other smaller volumes in Africa and the USA. The largest producers are India, Brazil and Mexico although Indian production is almost exclusively consumed in the domestic market.
During the 19th century, limes were given to sailors to prevent scurvy. The lime was not as effective as lemon, which has a higher content of vitamin c, but was easier to obtain in the Caribbean. The use of citrus to prevent scurvy was a closely guarded military secret. Scurvy was a common enemy to sailors and therefore gave the British an advantage to remain at sea for longer periods of time. The British sailor acquired the nickname “limey” because of their use of lime!
