People are just finding out that ripe limes aren’t actually green – and the reason they’re sold that color
LEMON and lime are two flavors that compliment each other well, but they may be more similar than you’d think.
A YouTuber has explained why limes are sold when they’re green, and the color that they actually turn when they are ripe.
YouTuber Jared Rydelek, who operates the channel Weird Explorer, revealed that ripe limes are actually yellow.
“If you let a lime sit on a tree longer, it turns yellow,” Jared explained to his viewers.
He continued: “I’m guessing that the green ones probably would last longer. Like you see limes in the store, I’m sure they’re probably there for about a month.”
Jared tried a green lime and a ripe yellow lime to compare the difference in taste.
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While the green lime tasted sour, the YouTube said the yellow one was less acidic and “had a nice sweetness to it.”
According to Epicurious, USDA regulations prevent yellow lime being sold in stores as green limes travel better and have a longer shelf life.
“There’s a whole industry that’s based on using unripe fruit,” Karen Beverlin of Fresh Point told Epicurious.
The expert explained that limes will not continue to ripen once they are picked from a tree.
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“Instead, limes left at room temperature will begin to toughen and dry out,” Beverlin continued.
She recommended storing your limes in your fridge to prolong their life cycle.
