Finger Limes

Provenance and the Plant
Our amazing Australian Finger Lime grows uninhibited up to 7 metres high. It's a denizen of the lowland subtropical rainforests of the coastal border region of Queensland and New South Wales.
While there is scant knowledge of how Indigenous Australians used and husbanded this tree, we do know that the fruit was eaten and no doubt relished as it was also by the early settlers to this region. While the settlers would clear the rainforest for grazing land, they would often leave behind stands of Finger Limes, so valued were the fruits to eat and to make jams from.
The fruit is long and a little curved - like a slightly bent finger and approximately 4 to 8 cm long.
The natural colours the fruit exhibits are green or pink but through selections grafted on to citrus rootstock, we are now able to enjoy colours that range from the palest pink , to coral and scarlet red and lime green to deep almost bluish green. The Finger Limes we have used to make our Finger Lime Superfruit Powder  are a gorgeous blush pink.
The Finger Lime is grown in commercial plantations , much as other citrus fruit is. The fruit, often referred to as Lime Caviar or Pearls, is due to the globular juice vesicles. Vesicles are the membrane (as in an orange ) that holds the juicy flesh.
Our Finger Limes come the sub-tropical region of eastern NSW.
Culinary Uses
 
Once you cut a Finger lime in half, these gorgeous juicy pearls of flesh spill out and are utterly delicious and beautiful. When ripe, each finger lime fruit contains hundreds of caviar-sized pearls under pressure from the outer skin which, like actual caviar, "pop" when you bite or cut into them; hence the " caviar" nickname. 

Finger limes are perfect when paired with seafood. They can also be pickled, juiced, and zested but honestly why would you do anything more!

They provide a unique accent in cocktails, salads, and desserts. Their texture is similar to caviar, with that delicate burst or pop of juice, but of course with a lovely fresh lime flavour that is typically not as sour as Tahitian Limes that we are more used to.
As access to fresh Finger Limes is growing, but still limited, we have freeze-dried the fruit and have a beautiful Finger Lime powder available. This is fabulous used to flavour desserts such as Panna Cotta or sprinkled over a fresh prawn and watermelon salad for a zesty difference or add to a smoothie for extra goodness. It can add a zesty sparkle to gin, vodka and white rum cocktails.
You will find more ideas in our Recipes pages

Health Benefits
The fruit of a rare rainforest tree, the finger lime has been a valuable source of food and medicine for Indigenous Australians for thousands of years and was eaten for its delicious taste as well as being a great source of Vitamin C and Vitamin E, which is an important antioxidant for cell repair and protection. Finger Limes also rich in folate and potassium. 

 The small fruits were originally used by Indigenous Australians as a fruit that they would pick and eat as they moved around their Country. They were valued for their taste, and of course they delivered nutritional benefits. The pulp was also used as part of the pharmacopoeia as the pearls were also used for medicinal purposes to ward off sickness and were applied topically as an antiseptic.

Finger Limes may help

  • Increase immunity to Infections - One of the most abundant nutrients found in Finger Lime is Vitamin C and this helps our immune system stay strong - so important these days. Vitamin C is known to help upper respiratory tract infections in particular.

  • Eye Health and Vision - Finger Lime also contains a good level of Vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential for keeping the eyes and your vision in optimum shape. Being a powerful antioxidant, vitamin A safeguards your eyes from damaging free radicals.

  •  Helping skin renewal - Vitamin C found is abundant in Finger Lime and it is very good at is keeping your skin looking it's best. That’s because the phytochemical activity marked by high Vitamin C levels gathers up free radicals that damage skin cells, causing the acceleration of skin aging. Vitamin C also encourages the production of collagen, a type of protein that helps keep at bay the formation of wrinkles by making your skin elastic.

  • Lower Blood Pressure - Finger lime consists of good amount of potassium, too. Medical experts say that this mineral helps lower blood pressure as it encourages the blood vessels to become wider. Keeping the blood pressure within the normal range can help in lowering heart disease risk, so consider including potassium-containing foods like finger limes in your diet regularly.

  • Reduce the Risk of Iron-Deficiency Anemia - You can get decent amounts of iron in every serving of finger lime. The said mineral is essential for the production of RBCs — short for red blood cells. RBCs are the ones that enable the blood to carry oxygen throughout your body. Consuming finger limes and other iron-containing foods can help lower your risk of iron-deficiency anemia.

  •  Defence against Age-Related Diseases - Vitamin E can also be found in Finger Lime. Just like vitamins A and C, this nutrient has outstanding antioxidant properties. Several researches have shown that it is something that is very good at preventing an assortment of health problems that are related with aging. Some of them include diseases of the joints, brain, nerves and heart.

  • Healthy Teeth and Gums - as we all know scurvy is a condition caused by a Vitamin C deficiency. It's not likely these days that many people will suffer from scurvy but it is good reminder that Vitamin C can help our our gums from damage and becoming swollen and bleeding. Healthy gums in turn nourish our teeth and keep them strong.

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