Altogether, it is estimated that there are about 100 species in the world. But the most popular types in Brazil, Galician and Tahiti, are not part of this list. In fact, these two fruits are not lemons. “They are acidic limes, a kind of citrus that has a maximum of ten varieties on the planet”, says agronomist Ygor da Silva Coelho, from the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), in Cruz das Almas (BA). The main differences between lemons and sour limes are their size and slightly different taste – lemons taste a little milder. Despite this, the two fruits have similar origins. Probably, both appeared in India and arrived in Europe brought by Arab merchants, still in Antiquity. “The real lemon landed in America on Christopher Columbus’s second voyage, in 1493, and soon adapted to the temperate American climate. On the other hand, acid limes arrived in Brazil with the Portuguese, in the 16th century, and grew easily in the tropical heat”, says another agronomist, José Orlando de Figueiredo, from the Agronomic Institute of Campinas (IAC). In addition to appearance and taste, another thing that distinguishes lemons from sour limes is their juice yield (lime is slightly better), but the nutritional characteristics are similar. The presence of vitamin C helps prevent more than 60 diseases and is recommended in a healthy diet. “An advisable option is to replace traditional vinegar with lemon when seasoning”, says nutritionist Midori Ishii, from the University of São Paulo (USP).
In the country, the most consumed types are not lemons, but acid limes
REAL LEMON
Also known as siciliano, eureka or lisbon, it is the lemon itself, the most consumed variety in Europe and the United States. The yellow-skinned fruit gives a less acidic juice than the lemonade made with Tahiti lemon. The mild aroma is ideal for extracting essences that serve as a base for perfumes and cosmetics.
TAHITI LEMON
The country’s most popular variety is actually a sour lime. Brazil is the second largest producer of this green and seedless fruit, which appears in 90% of the country’s plantations. It is excellent for making juice — the juice yield is 50%, against 42% for real lemons — and is widely used in ice cream, sweets and pies.
LEMON
It is also an acidic lime, smaller than the Tahiti and with a yellowish skin when ripe. Small and tasty, the galego is disappearing from supermarket shelves because of a virus that infests plantations since the 1970s. But, as it is considered the best fruit to make caipirinha, the variety still frequents Brazilian tables
RAVE LEMON
Famous for having the inner part of the fruit in orange, it is a mixture of lemon and tangerine. Most crops of this variety are infested with a disease called scab, which, while harmless to humans, leaves the bark unsightly. The perfect combination of acidity and sugar makes this lemon the best for seasoning.