Never Buy Limes Again?? Lime Powder VS Fresh VS Bottled

Fresh is best...but is it actually? In this episode I do a taste test comparing fresh limes, bottled lime juice and crystalized lime powder. We test it straight up, in a drink, and in a dish to see if you should continue to buy and juice fresh limes, or is it good enough to just have one of these sitting your fridge and pantry!
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About Pai:
Pailin “Pai” Chongchitnant is the author of the Hot Thai Kitchen cookbook, co-host of a Canadian TV series One World Kitchen on Gusto TV, and creator and host of the KZbin channel Pailin's Kitchen.
Pai was born and raised in southern Thailand where she spent much of her "playtime" in the kitchen. She traveled to Canada to study Nutritional Sciences at the University of British Columbia, and was later trained as a chef at Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in San Francisco.
After working in both Western and Thai professional kitchens, she decided that her passion really lies in educating and empowering others to cook at home via KZbin videos, her cookbook, and cooking classes. She currently lives in Vancouver, and goes to Thailand every year to visit her family. Visit her at hot-thai-kitchen.com

[@therealsocialgadfly]

As usual, an amazing video. This is why I keep coming back, Pailin; Your inquisitiveness, dedication, and passion towards the art of Thai cooking is incomparable. Adam, was a bonus once again. Keep making these videos. Love you!

[@david-iam]

I stumbled upon your channel and have now watched a number of videos. I’m convinced we would have been good friends in another life connected by the passion for food. Keep up the great episodes. I am learning a lot and love how articulate you are.

[@LinkCable679]

Who else had their mouth start watering when Pai was cutting the lime?

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

(raises hand)

[@ThydaCookingTV]

A.J Riordan me

[@amckeown1]

thanks for the lime cutting tip!

[@minhdyvan7299]

My husband and I really enjoyed this video. Keep up the good work. Congrats on the new baby.

[@RealTipProductions]

You make the best informative videos on ingredients! Thank you!!

[@darrylreyes5977]

That sass when P’Pai threw the lime. Gorgeous!

[@maydaygarden]

I liked this vid not only for the very good comparison tests, but also the technique for cutting the fresh lime, that I will use from now on. Thanks for the great tip!

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

Yes I know! I now judge all restaurants by whether they cut their limes and lemons "properly" ... I'm a lime wedge snob now.

[@pizzarat3275]

One big advantage of the crystals is you can use them to add lime flavor to a recipe without additional liquid. Really important in stuff like smoothies and baking. Say if you're making a key lime pie and the filling constancy is good but lacking in the lime flavor, adding some of the crystals will kick the flavor up without making it too thin. Also, it's more consistent than fresh limes, which tend to vary in sweetness and acidity.

[@tcong9616]

Super topic with super insights. Additionally fun episode! Thanks!

[@lukitawesalukitawesa1498]

The reason why the bitterness of the liquid lime juice from the green bottle dissapeared when you added it into the pork dish (fatty food) is as folllows: As you mentioned that some oil from the lime peel might be extracted more during industrial squeesing of the lime. The essential oil from the lime skin which containing in the juice is binded or caught by the fat from the pork. Essential oil from citrus family is a hydrophobic compound which love to stick other hydrophobic compuound such as fat.

[@lukitawesalukitawesa1498]

So, we can consider using the bitter lime juice for fatty or oily food.

[@PailinsKitchen]

Great info. Thank you!

[@lukitawesalukitawesa1498]

@@PailinsKitchen thank you for the appreciation Pailin. I am your Indonesian fan, living in Sweden. Your videos help me alot because my cooking is also depend on asian grocery store.😂 I have love-hate relationship with citrus peel oil in my research🍊🍊🍊🍊

[@sweetssweet1374]

Brilliant

[@Kuchenrolle]

@@lukitawesalukitawesa1498 I can't follow that reasoning. How does essential oil and pork fat sticking together result in a reduced bitterness perception?

[@sunflowerspirited4974]

I’ve always used bottled lime juice when I make your recipes (for convenience and price) and I figured I was sacrificing something with the freshness of the flavor but everything has still turned out really good!

[@Frostysleet]

Hello Adam! Love this comparison and taste test!

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

Hi VoNnE!! :)

[@DeepSpaceX]

Thank you! I'm learning a little but it takes longer than I expected.

[@wnose]

Another alternative is minutemaid limeade - it does have sugar, but the advantage is that it's concentrated and keeps indefinitely in the freezer. Great value too.

[@sfdoctorp]

Great Video!!! I really needed this. I was about to do something like this myself. I was going to do Walmart Brand, vs RealLime brand, vs actual lime. But you did it for me! You are the best!

[@CloakedC]

Great video idea Pai! I've always wanted to know :D

[@quequeg1643]

very helpful, i've always wondered how different they are. i live in alaska and the limes we get here are not always great so i have compromised with the reallime product but always felt a bit guilty about it and for sure it degrades after you open it and let it sit in the fridge. i'll have to try out the chrystal form.

[@jeremymetcalf2502]

Dr. Greger has an awesome way of using lemons, and limes. Peel them, blend them up, and freeze it. This way you get all the nutrients, as well as the juice.

[@spencerkieft6021]

Adam is monstrously tall. How convenient for staying anonymous...

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

Yessssss .... (said while drumming fingers together in creepy way ...) :)

[@philipwebb960]

Perhaps he's not really tall. Perhaps other people are really short.

[@spencerkieft6021]

@@philipwebb960 A little of both, I guess.

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

@@spencerkieft6021 I'm 6' 3" - so a little of both as you say :)

[@ericpmoss]

Like Al from Police Squad. kzbin.info/www/bejne/sIHWiqB3jsqsrbs

[@suzyelbader3936]

Love all your videos Pai! ♥️ Welcome to the screen Adam 🤗

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

Thanks Suzy! :)

[@bubbles3645]

My mouth started watering when pai started tasting the lime juices

[@ThydaCookingTV]

sweet rose me too wartering

[@paulasimson4939]

Totally agree with you Pai. I use real limes when their flavor is most important in a dish. I keep a "Real Lime" in my fridge for that quick, small squirt of tart to lift a dish, but lime is not the key flavor.

[@Richest8]

Hi! I'm from Germany Nice to met you now. I like your clip. Now showing like, respect and admiration. Big Thx 4 the great clips. 😊🙏

[@enricomramilla]

ohhh very interesting !!fresh always tastes best,, but for convenience,, lime powder is the most convenient way to have a lime instantly

[@TheWillOfFenris]

Ha! You're so excited to use your mini whisk. Lol I only tease because I am the same way. Like my mini tongs, any excuse to use them is celebrated inwardly at least. Your theory about the bitterness is spot on in the bottled juice. I am looking forward to trying the lime cryatals thank you for doing the comparison work for me.

[@leiawapuhi01]

Pailin, it's great to see you back. Fresh lime always has a great taste. Thank you Adam for participating. One day you will smile for the camera.

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

One day ... maybe ... :) (but thanks!!)

[@toveryonder1115]

tru lime and tru lemon are great sprinkled on salads and when you need more flavor but no more fluid

[@pahanin2480]

I decided I’m going to be your biggest fan. As such I’m going to watch all your videos

[@somendratamang2833]

Thanks for lime cutting and making larb. I am regular viewer of your video

[@sarahbenita6445]

omg thank you your videos are so in depth and helpful!! I love you I love you I love youuuu!

[@brandon3872]

Even when I'm using freshly squeezed lime in other cuisines, when I smell it I can't help thinking of Thai food.

[@xemmyQ]

bless. this is the EXACT dish i wanted to know about with the limes! it isnt much but squeezing them for the sauce can be a little time consuming, but flavor is important to me, so fresh squeezed limes it will continue to be!!

[@googleuser7443]

hi. this is my first view of your vids. i love the in-depth review, and i'm planning to make mojitos using the crystalized lime, and i'm convinced to do it because of your review. i would definitely try to make some laab too btw (looks so delicious, I'm indonesian). and final thought, you are so pretty.... :)

[@Le_Kabe]

Absolutely smart!!!! I’ve never thought of the different between these.😂 that’s very interesting 🤔 but yup I’m still sticking to real fresh lime.😂

[@ryguy6186]

Awesome taste test video. Do one with different brands of palm sugar and soy sauce next! 😃

[@cdjaramillo]

very nice test, the thing that concerns me the most is the chemicals used in the manufactured lime because it's important to me to not put anything in the food that is not natural or grown naturally it doesn't have to be organic but it should be grown without pesticides or herbicides, as far as using sugar I don't, I use liquid stevia to sweeten everything and some of the Asian dishes I've made taste really good and I'm still learning so I really love your videos and I tell all my family and friends about you and your chanel, thank you for doing your videos...

[@ghrayo]

Thanks you pai! So useful ♥

[@PailinsKitchen]

HELLO LOVELY VIEWERS! Important Note: I hope you enjoy this video! If you have questions you can post it here for the community to answer, but if you want to ask me, please get in touch via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or my website (all links are in the description above). If you leave questions in the comments I may not see them due to the large volume of comments I receive across the hundreds of videos on this channel. As always, thank you for watching!

[@tomasarndt8139]

Great test!

[@Carojoe123]

I am really happy with this video...the prior reason was the technique of lime slicing... Thank you Mam..:):):)

[@dbrereton5075]

I had a bottle of the crystallized lime on my pantry shelf; it became "liquid" after only 3 weeks. If I buy it again, I'll try storing it in the 'fridge. Thanks for sharing. I've missed you. 🙏

[@PailinsKitchen]

That’s weird...I have had mine for a while and it’s still good.

[@emalinel]

Hmmm that's strange, have you tried storing it away from sunny or humid areas? I suspect any contact with moisture or heat would trigger some sort of reaction to the lime powder

[@tabaks]

Goes without saying, has to be kept hermetically sealed and well away from moisture by tightly closing immediately after using. Citric acid (lemons, limes) is hygroscopic (attracts moisture) so keeping it tightly sealed is quite important.

[@timotot123]

Sounds strange to me. I think it will stay crystallized for years

[@KewpieDollEyes1379]

I use 1 litre thai boy brand bottled lime from thailand. It's more convenient, and its 45%+ real lime juice, so the taste is close enough for me. Also, thank you for your videos. It's been helping me through my Asian cooking journey.

[@vickrykayser3129]

Actual glass bottled lime juice tastes much better than the stuff in the squeeze bottle. There is also bottled keylime juice, which tastes quite good.

[@franciscopartida4167]

My mouth watered the whole time during this video.

[@Hosny778]

Nice and good luck from Egypt 🇪🇬

[@danielwerger5641]

Good vid Pai…! Nice to see Adam make an appearance... Cheers, Daniel.

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

Hi Daniel! :)

[@MLLL1234]

Love this video!! ❤❤❤

[@maplel6543]

I love fresh limes, because I can smell the skin it was so good.

[@kevinwilford1971]

im curious, is adam that tall or was he standing on a platform 😂? btw i really like these taste test videos a lot! its really fun and nice and hope we can get more in the future 🙌🏾

[@PailinsKitchen]

He is that tall.

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

TallER at least :) ... but yes 6'3". (well 6' 2.5" ... but I have sandals on)

[@geradgerardus4073]

Giant! I am Dutch they say Dutch men rank as the highest but Im 6'07 which in the Netherlands I guess is around standard most of the times though I feel really small. We also have tall woman at times so sometimes I feel really dwarfed! By the way love the username haha!

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

@@geradgerardus4073 Cool and thanks! ... and you feel short at 6 feet tall?! omg

[@ThydaCookingTV]

Kevin Wilford he is the Camera man I think

[@sha8808]

im obsessed with truelime

[@emalinel]

Such an interesting experiment! It's nice you pulled Adam in :) (especially when Adam did the bowl-switching, nice single-blind study! ;D) I'm much like you, very sensitive to flavor differences, but it's nice to know someone else's perspective. Plus I didn't even know lime powder existed! (Exactly my thought, it'd be GREAT on fried chicken. It's like how people sprinkle shichimi togarashi on karaage :3)

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

Thanks Emaline! :) ... and yes the stuff is MAGIC!

[@nicafyl2]

Wow on prices. Limes in Guatemala are between 1/2 and 1 Quetzal each which is like from $.065 to $.13 each. Guess I will stick to fresh limes. :-)

[@nelldrik]

I've always been afraid to try the bottled lime juice because I hate the lemon version so much, but after this I'd especially love to try the powder! At the moment I usually buy a lot of limes/lemons at once, juice them, and then freeze the juice into ice cubes. You do have to have a bit of freezer space, but it's another option if you really want that fresher taste without having to worry about always having fresh fruit on hand.

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

Awesome!!

[@quequeg1643]

also, was getting some real police squad vibes there adam. good job stepping up to help out with the tests

[@chunyoo]

Ha ha! I love police squad

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

Yes!! ANOTHER brilliant show!! :) (though they only filmed like 6 episodes I think)

[@moeekayi]

could you pleassssssssse do Laeng Zabb Recipe ? We went to Bangkok and we found POrk Rib covered in green chili and it was so good and was not as spicy as we though but the soup was so addicting . I love your channel and recommend to my frd because when i follow your recipe for thai food it comes well really well :D Hope I can see Laeng Zabb recipe soon.

[@christophera-realone9834]

The lemon powder and the lime powder is the bomb 🍋

[@christophera-realone9834]

True lemon & True lime powder 🙌

[@sagewanderer]

In south Florida we have Key Limes, there is also a bottled version, Nellie & Joes: Key West Lime Juice available in amazon.

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

I always wondered about that ... one of my favourite deserts of all time is Key Lime Pie. So what's the difference between them?

[@JathanandHeather]

We agree with you. We much prefer fresh ingredients, including limes. But the crystals are intriguing for emergencies. Have never been a fan of the bottled lemon or lime juice though, as it always seems extremely sour and at times almost rancid. Which is gross. And who wants to ruin their meal? Thanks for the great video!

[@asadb1990]

woh 0.79 ea, here in ontario they usually go for 3 for $1 or $0.33 ea.

[@j.l.7444]

Adam, was just like Wilson from Home Improvement, but upside down

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

lol!

[@TomMaynard--TCM--]

Hey, "neighbor!" We just moved from Chicago to Vancouver (WA, USA). We can wave to one another across the border. Great video, as always. I need some crystals for those "Oh, no! No limes!" situations.

[@ThydaCookingTV]

Tom Maynard great video

[@janicecarey3592]

I got a combo of a bottle of the crystallized lemon and lime on Amazon for $7.99 for both. I love both of them just sprinkled on things that need a little more flavor. I eat plain avocados with a little salt and some of this sprinkled on. I love the flavor of both. It is hard for me to always have fresh lemons or limes and these have a great flavor in my opinion!

[@PailinsKitchen]

Hmm sprinkling on avocado with salt is brilliant!

[@merylentolledo6442]

Nice video miss pai... Just a simple request... i hope you make a video also comparing the lime, calamansi and lemon... FYI: in the philippines we use calamansi because we have a lot of this ( lemon and lime are expensive in our country)...

[@tomstestkitchen]

Always fresh for me! Do you know how to determine the juiciest lime? Look for a very smooth skin.

[@themadmanwithapen]

Also in the southwest US, limes grow here year round so I can get three fresh limes for a dollar or less usually so it still beats the bottled juice

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

Am totally jealous!

[@JoakimBjornander]

Great topic! However a blind test would have been more interesting.

[@ThydaCookingTV]

Joakim Björnander great 👍

[@JustOneAsbesto]

There is good bottled lime juice. It can be a little expensive though. Check the ingredients. There should only be lime juice, not from concentrate. You may want to go for a juice that's meant for mixing cocktails. I think that tends to be higher quality because the flavour stands out more in a drink.

[@georgebowman1060]

2 thumbs 👍 👍 up. Ok now i know about crystallized limes. Thanks. Im staying clear from that bitter "Real Lime".

[@tjinwei]

Love this comparison test! More like it please! A thought though, more blind tests please! Not to test your palate but to really see if there's a difference since as humans we tend to be bias. I think if Adam did everything he did here but blind, it would've been great! Also, I'm not sure about other people but I personally really care for the ingredients in the food I eat. As if in, no matter the cost, I'd still rather go for real limes or lemons in stores simply because I don't like that there are additives or artificial flavours in processed products.

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

Totally!

[@no_chefs_here3194]

very good video, love it!

[@davidgiles5030]

We are on Vancouver Island. Limes are usually over $1.00 each. I think I will check out the powder on Amazon. Thanks.

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

We're in Vancouver, so we feel your pain :) I bought the big box of the little packets myself ... love them ... add them to my water bottles among other things :)

[@AppyDancer]

I've been buying the crystals for a while now. I use them in my water and also for my G&T's. I have found that no matter how much you scrub a lime, weird film still ends up floating on top of my G&T (wax maybe? Although, TBH, after one G&T it really becomes less of an issue ;-) ). I don't know what it is but it's not nice. The crystals have a great flavour and I always have them (unlike nice limes, which are hit and miss where I live).

[@PailinsKitchen]

I think that film is the lime essential oil from the skin :) but you’re right, after the first G&T it matters much less haha.

[@tomw8]

Happy Loi Kratong Pai ! 😊

[@languagelover747]

It’s also interesting that fresh lines in Thailand taste different from North American limes. I found them more sour and a crisper flavour, especially mixed with soda as a manao soda. I can’t find any info on whether it’s a different variety of lime or just the effect of the climate.

[@DokBua0424]

Omg I WS jus at the grocery store n I saw lime powder🧐🤔🤔. Thanks for this review now I Kno!

[@wonteatit]

I very often use TrueLemon powder at home for making lemonade and other cooking uses. I ADORE fresh lemons but I grew up eating lemons basically fresh off the tree from my backyard in California. I live in the Midwest now. When I try to shop for lemons in the store they are ~$1.25 each and often mostly rind and awful tasting in my opinion. So its a convenient and consistent option.

[@Dragonfyre2009]

Aside from Thai and Mexican food, I mainly use lemon and lime juice in cocktails, and have almost completely switched to the dehydrated crystals for both lemon and lime unless I need the zest for something (Greek Lemon Potatoes, for instance, or a mojito where I need the actual lime fruit to muddle). I find it tastes very close to fresh, and in things like cocktails, I have tried side by side and couldn't really tell the difference. I've never had anyone complain. Is it new in Canada? I've been using it here in Texas for about 6-7 years. Oh! The powder is also very nice to use when you want lemon or lime flavor, but don't want the liquid! Like I sprinkle the lime on avocados to eat as is with a spoon, sprinkle it on my tacos, etc. I sprinkle the lemon in my tuna salad because I find the juice makes it too wet. They also make orange and grapefruit, and you can get it in little packets. They included some packets of grapefruit with an order I placed with them, and I keep that on hand in case someone wants a cocktail with grapefruit juice (can't stand grapefruit myself so never buy it). They also make various kinds of flavored lemonades (my housemate likes the raspberry lemonade and the cherry limeade) and coolers (the watermelon is really good), and they have salt-free seasoning blends (I love their lemon pepper - the regular stuff in the store is loaded with salt!). You can look on their website to see all their products. I personally can't stand the bottled lemon/lime juice. I find the preservative is really strong and gives it a funky flavor, which gets worse as it sits in the fridge.

[@user-gs3mx4bh8r]

I use a lot of True Citrus products; in fact, I order a 500ct box of lime every other month. I have used it in seasoning, including a Lime Salt for Popcorn. I like having it for a pop of acid when I make sauces of rich dishes. It has a ton of uses, I have a cake recipe for a lime cake that I have modified to use the True Lime. Amazon has the best prices for True Citrus products.

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

Cool! ... and yes I have the big box too - so useful! (I put it in my sparkly water)

[@seamus6387]

With the True Lime powder you can also get packets but they are single serve. It, True Line, is also better than the lemon and orange versions I think but they are also good for times when you can't get ahold of the real thing. And ya, juicing limes can get old quick especially if you're like me and prefer Mexican/Key limes.

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

I bought the BIG box of single packets - one of the best purchases I've ever made ... I put it in my San Pellegrino (among other things) :)

[@traceymartin35]

Here in Florida or New York the crystal lime is a $1. I get it from the dollar all day everyday for $1 and Thank you I have a bottle and I only use it for my seafood seasoning I keep in my pocketbook and for mango but your right fresh is better just got back from Thailand and with all my excitement I've planted a lime tree in my backyard

[@PailinsKitchen]

Well now you got SUPER fresh limes!

[@traceymartin35]

@@PailinsKitchen lol

[@BeowWulf]

Salt (fish sauce) also negates the bitterness quite a bit.

[@stevenk6638]

U should use a clean spoon for each sample - U were moving the same spoon across the samples.

[@lindayang3833]

I wanted to ask if you’ll make a Thai dessert is small and looks like a meringue but it’s made out of coconut and it’s soft in the inside.

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

Is it this one? hot-thai-kitchen.com/kanom-krok/ Cheers!

[@MapsAndCaps]

I came here to see if my pico de gallo salsa would be that much different with fresh lime juice and now I have to try it! I always assumed the difference would be negligable.

[@sandramendez-cornford5886]

I’m super interested in the Tru Lime powder for popcorn seasoning.

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

Interesting idea! Haven't tried that myself - must give it a shot. I buy it by the 500 box myself btw and add it to my drinking water. Cheers! Adam

[@kochichris]

I always have the bottle lime juice

[@kimgparker]

Does the lime juice powder/crystal you showed in the video have the same or close composition to the lime powder available to buy in packets in Thailand? The brand commonly available is Knorr, but Thai Macro also has its own brand.

[@adamthehtkminion6750]

Back of the packet says "Crystallized lime (citric acid, lime oil, lime juice)" and that's it - if that helps?

[@brandon3872]

Please do an updated version of your Pad Kee Mao recipe :)

[@einechterpiratstichtauchin8118]

khop khun khrap :) you're the best

[@EdwinDeCastro]

,,am your fan from 🇵🇭 - i used to eat Thai foods and one of my favorites is Tom Yum Goong which I usually use fresh lemon/lime or manaw whenever i cook. Btw I just tried filming my own version of cooking Tom Yam Goong Nam Kon.

[@UltraHanisah]

I always buy lime powder for the convenience, because limes here are sold per pack of 5-6 and most of the time I don't need that much. Then they will rot in the fridge, so I'm just really wasting them. I buy a 250g bag and it lasts me for almost a year,even if they're more expensive in comparison to the fresh lime here, but I won't waste any.

[@daviddownie5594]

Wow! Limes are expensive in Canada! In Philadelphia I get 6 limes for a dollar lately.

[@dunniam3168]

Fresh is always good👍👍👌😘😘🙋‍♀️thanks.

[@sriwannawat]

Considering that lime’s price is very fluctuating during the year, I have heard that some of my friend make cubes of ice from lime juice in their refrigerator in the time of the year that lime is insanely cheap (spring) then they have lime for using with their recipe for the entire year. They said the taste is almost not different comparing to the fresh one.

[@khairulkhalilahkhairulanwa5161]

Can you teach how to make Leum Kluen dessert?🙆

[@larswesterhausen7262]

This stuff in the green plastic bottle actually is made with citrid acid synthezised from a mold fungus called "Aspergillus".

[@rowanhollingsworth5231]

The same kind used in sake fermentation, or another strain?

[@larswesterhausen7262]

@@rowanhollingsworth5231 This I cannot answer, Sir.

[@ThydaCookingTV]

wonderful I really love 💖Thai food it’s similar to Cambodian food. awesome 👏

[@user-ps1in7ms7t]

Hi! More video please!

[@natnat5082]

@hotthaikitchen what about frozen lime?