Thrifty shoppers always pay attention to the price and look for the best deals. That’s why, if you’re a vegan, you may have noticed that the prices of some types of produce are unusually high.
It can be frustrating to have a craving for something, only to find that it’s really expensive. Lemons are the perfect example of a fruit that tends to be pricey. What’s more, a lot of recipes call for the use of lemons, so discovering their steep cost is disheartening.
Limes, on the other hand, are generally pretty cheap. Given that these fruits are both citrusy delights, you might be asking yourself: why are lemons more expensive than limes?
In this post, we’ll get to the bottom of this mystery, as well as compare these two fruits.
Quick Answer: Why are Lemons More Expensive than Limes?
There are a lot of things that contribute to a higher cost in produce. For lemons, part of the cost comes from their frequent shortages. Even this year, many areas of the world are seeing a shortage in lemons due to growing seasons ending early.
Despite shortages, though, the demand for lemons remains high. When something is in high demand and short supply, the price rises.
With limes, you see the opposite occurring. On top of having a decent supply available, demand for limes has been unstable, leading to a lower price.
Read Also: What are the Juiciest Lemons?
The Average Prices of Lemons and Limes
So what exactly are the average prices for either lemons or limes? Well, that depends on where you look. Most prices online are for whole cases, and not individual units or pounds of lemons and limes.
Since most people aren’t interested in buying an entire case, we referenced Wal-Mart, then, as that’s a store many in the United States have access to.
On the Wal-Mart site, a single lemon goes for 56 cents and a single lime goes for 38 cents. As you can see, the cost of a single lemon is almost twice that of a lime.
Read Also: What are the Juiciest Limes?
Lemons vs Limes: How Do they Compare Aside from Price?
How do lemons and limes compare in other aspects? Price isn’t the only reason people choose to buy a thing. When it comes to produce, taste and nutrition are two other factors that might convince some to pick one over another.
Also Read: Why are Lemons More Sour than Oranges?
Nutritionally, the fruits are almost exactly the same. One of the greatest differences between them is that lemons have almost twice as much vitamin C, which is one reason they’re in high demand.
Even in regards to taste, lemon and lime are close. They have a slightly bitter taste that makes their juice a little overwhelming for some people. Many say lemons are sweeter, though, and limes are sourer.
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This slight difference in flavor leads to them being used for different things in the kitchen. Lemon is perhaps a bit more versatile because of its sweetness.
You’ll see lime used in savory foods – especially in Latin cuisine. But lemon is present in a wider variety of things.
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Wrap Up
Lemons and limes, for the most part, are a lot alike. That’s what makes their vastly different prices so confusing at first. If they’re similar in nutrition and culinary uses, shouldn’t they have a similar price, too?
But when you look more into the reasons behind the price difference, it’s easy to determine the causes. Lemons are just simply in higher demand and often experience shortages.
Related Article: Why are Lemons more Popular than Limes?
Hey, I’m Joey. I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid and love everything about it. You can find my writing about food, kitchen appliances (such as blenders) and much more. Thanks for stopping by!
