0 The New Complete Book of Food
Medical Uses and/or Benefits
Antiscorbutic. Lemons and limes, which are small and travel well, were carried on board
British navy ships in the 18th century to prevent scurvy, the vitamin C-deficiency disease.
Wound healing. Your body needs vitamin C in order to convert the amino acid proline into
hydroxyproline, an essential ingredient in collagen—the protein needed to form skin, ten-
dons, and bones. As a result, people with scurvy do not heal quickly, a condition that can be
remedied with vitamin C, which cures the scurvy and speeds healing. Whether taking extra
vitamin C speeds healing in healthy people remains to be proved.Adverse Effects Associated with This Food
Contact dermatitis. The peel of lemon and lime contains limonene, an essential oil known
to cause contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals. (Limonene is also found in dill, caraway
seeds, and celery.)
Photosensitivity. Lime peel contains furocoumarins (psoralens), chemicals that are photo-
sensitizers as well as potential mutagens and carcinogens. Contact with these chemicals can
make skin very sensitive to light.
Aphthous ulcers (canker sores). Citrus fruits or juices may trigger a flare-up of canker sores
in sensitive people, but eliminating these foods from the diet neither cures nor prevents
canker sores.Food/Drug Interactions
Iron supplements. Taking iron supplements with a food rich in vitamin C increases the
absorption of iron from the supplement.