Citrus fruits are some of the most popular fruits used in the culinary world. The powerful acidity is what people crave. It often rounds out the flavor of sauces, salsas, marinades, juices, and more. The reason people fall in love with citrus fruits is because they hit three of the primary flavor profiles: bitter, sweet, and sour. 

People love citrus fruits for their flavor, but they should love them for their incredible nutritional profiles. The diverse flavonoid and antioxidant compounds exhibit anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and immune-boosting properties. Additionally, the vitamin C in citrus fruits works to neutralize free radicals in the body, lowering the threat of oxidative damage. They are also rich in potassium, a mineral that the body needs for carbohydrate metabolism, heart contraction, and nerve function. 

There are too many citrus fruits to count, and that’s why we’ve decided to bring you the zest of the best. Keep reading to find out which citrus varieties rose to the top. Well, they topped our list, anyway!

Meyer Lemon

These may be the best lemons on the planet, primarily because they are slightly sour with wonderfully sweet undertones. If you want to make homemade lemonade, the Meyer lemon should be your first choice. It is a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange, and it rose to popularity in the culinary world because of Martha Stewart, Alice Waters, and other chefs of that caliber. 

Pomelo

This citrus fruit has too many names to count, so we’ll just stick with pomelo. It’s one of the only three original citrus species left; all of the other varieties have been hybridized. The white pomelo has a thick pith and a sweet pink/white flesh. They are very popular in Asia during the Mooncake festival. 

Sumo Tangerine

These enormous tangerines are enormously delicious. It’s not the most attractive citrus fruit, but ugly foods are often the most delicious. It’s like an easy-to-peel mandarin, but supersized and more flavorful. Sumo tangerines are new to the United States, and people are loving them. The flavor is bold, with sweet and tart flavors that keep you coming back for more. They do cost more than the average citrus fruit, but they come from Japan, so the price makes sense. 

Blood Orange

The striking red/orange flesh of the fruit looks like a wheel of tie-dye art. The blood orange is mildly tart and beautifully sweet, and the rich pigment comes from the powerful polyphenols known as anthocyanins. You can’t always get your hands on these citrus gems, so make sure to snatch them up when you see them.

Key Lime

Almost everyone has heard of key lime pie, but these small limes are not solely reserved for baking. Many people prefer key limes to regular limes because they have a stronger alkalizing effect on the body. Key limes have a subtly sweet flavor and the juice is more floral and aromatic than that of regular lime juice. 

Kumquat

These little citrus fruits are entirely edible. That’s right, folks; you can eat pop the whole thing in your mouth and enjoy the beautiful combination of the sweet skin and tart flesh. You won’t always find them in stores, but they can pop up at local farmer’s markets. Kumquat trees are also popular in many neighborhoods, so keep your eyes peeled, especially from November to March when they’re in season.

Finger Lime

The finger lime is different from most other citrus fruits, and it gets the name because it is long, just like a finger. The flesh also differs from other citrus fruit. It looks like little gelatin balls, vesicles as they are called. You can think of it like lime caviar that you can turn into a rich marmalade or add to pickling jars. You can also zest the peel for strong notes of citrus in your culinary creations.

Buddha’s Hand

This abnormal, alien-looking fruit belongs to the citrus family, but it’s definitely in a league of its own. The “fingers” open up as the fruit ripens, but you can’t really enjoy the fruit. The only usable part of this fruit is the zest because there is no flesh. Buddha’s hand has a wonderful fragrance and it is often placed as a prayer offering at pagodas or altars in Asian countries. 

Tangelo

This funky little citrus hybrid is a cross between a grapefruit and a tangerine, so the flavor is both tart and sweet. Sink your teeth into this fruit and you get hit with an immediate burst of sweetness, and the tart flavor hits you on the back nine. They are easy to peel and make great substitutes for oranges. 

Calamansi

Calamansi is a classic citrus fruit in both Malaysian and Filipino cuisine. The peel is green and the flesh is a bright orange, but don’t let it fool you into thinking that it is sweet. It’s only a touch sweeter than a regular lime, but it does impart unique flavor into your food. If you want to make a homemade sorbet, fresh calamansi juice is an excellent juice to use. 

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Sometimes, you just have to let the ingredients speak for themselves. That’s exactly what this recipe does! Completely raw vegan, these key lime coconut bars have a zesty flair, nutty crust, and great textures. No, the key lime layer does not resemble some nuclear green that looks incredibly unhealthy for you. This filling is closer to beige or off white with small speckles of green from the lime zest.

On the topic of limes, the recipe does call for freshly squeezed key lime juice. Now, if you cannot get your hands on key limes, you can use regular limes as a replacement. The same thing applies for the zest, as you will just use zest from whichever limes you can get your hands on. Limes offer a wide variety of nutrients, with one lime providing 32% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C. Both lime juice and lime zest contain nutrients that may support heart health and improve the appearance of skin. Before you zest the limes, make sure to give them a good rinse and then pat them dry.

Although this recipe is made with raw vegan, all-natural ingredients, it does contain a hefty amount of calories. Coconut oil, raw walnuts, and raw cashews are calorically dense, so make sure you don’t eat all of these bars at once. One square will not only satiate you, but it will also satisfy your sweet tooth. The healthy fats are beneficial for the brain, heart, and your appetite. Plus, the fiber in the cashews and walnuts will keep you from eating 10 squares at time. Happy desserting!

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We can’t just give you a plain Jane smoothie in this day and age. It has to wow your taste buds! This key lime pie smoothie, which is 100% raw vegan, is incredible indulgent, but you can enjoy it without worrying about sugar intake. Unlike the classic pie, this smoothie is gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and only sweetened with a little maple syrup. You can, however, adjust the sweetness level to your desired taste.

The secret ingredient in this smoothie is, believe it or not, the avocado. It creates a luxuriously thick texture that makes this smoothie seem more like a milkshake. Just make sure that the avocado is not firm and underripe, or too mushy and overripe. You want the avocado to be just right, just like the porridge was for Goldilocks. An under or overripe avocado can dramatically change the flavor profile of this smoothie. It won’t taste like key lime pie, we can tell you that!

Although this key lime pie smoothie is sweetened with grade A maple syrup, you can use a different natural sweetener if you like. Raw agave nectar or alcohol-free stevia drops can be great options to sweeten your smoothie, especially if you are trying to remain keto.

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The zesty and refreshing flavor of key lime pie in a jar of raw vegan deliciousness? Oh yes, we made that happen for you because we like to enjoy the sweeter things in life. Even though we love to indulge in sweet flavors, we are tart at heart. This raw vegan, homemade pudding gives off tangy notes that will entice your taste buds bite after bite.

Unlike a traditional key lime pie, this recipe calls for both lemon juice and lime juice, in addition the zest of both citrus fruits. One quick tip about zesting is that you don’t want to run the lime or lemon back and forth across a microplane. Start at one end of the fruit and pull the microplane across to the other end. Continue doing this until you zest all the way around, and then you can juice the fruit. Ideally, you don’t want to get a lot of the pith in you recipe, otherwise it will be especially tart.

Even though this recipe calls for the zest and juice of lemons and limes, it won’t be overpowering. The creamy banana and avocado help to mellow the intensity of the citrus. Plus, the grade A maple syrup also contributes to a sweeter flavor profile. If you need to add a little more maple syrup, you can do so until the pudding is sweet enough for your liking.

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Can we just take a few seconds to appreciate key limes? Okay, thank you for that. They are so adorable, tart, and incredibly alkaline. The flavor of key limes is wonderfully tart, so make sure that you don’t get any juice in your eyes.

The beauty of buying raw pistachios is that they come shelled. It’s probably the best thing about eating raw pistachios, other than the taste of course.

These bites have the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors, so we know you’ll love them. Make sure that you save a half-cup of pistachios, in which you’ll roll the energy bites.

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Avocados have their place in desserts, people. The sooner you accept that, the more delicious your life will be. This dessert is 100% raw vegan and is 100% tangy, sweet, tart, and chewy all at once. It’s everything you want from a key lime pie made with healthy, all-natural ingredients.

Note: Your pie squares may appear more green than the squares in the image.

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Are you a lover of key lime pie? This may be the closest thing to the real deal while you are cleansing. Bursting with zesty lime flavor, this pudding uses avocado for the base, and that provides you with omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, potassium, and protein. It also makes it extremely creamy! Additionally, you can enjoy this dessert guilt-free! If you don’t have key limes or cannot find them, you can juice regular limes to make the dessert.

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Pie is definitely worthy of its own day! It has been an unofficial holiday since the 1970s, when pie was abundantly served in diners across America. This glorious culinary creation is versatile and comes in all flavors, shapes, and sizes. In fact, pies have been coming in different forms since the Egyptian Neolithic period in 9,500 B.C.

Pie Fact #1: 20% of Americans have confessed to wolfing down a whole pie alone, without any help from others.

Americans most commonly eat dessert pies. The top pie flavors include pumpkin, blueberry, cherry, apple crumb, lemon meringue, apple, key lime, and chocolate crème. The only non-dessert pie that receives a lot of attention in the United States is chicken pot pie. In the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia, however, minced pies or shepherd’s pies are very common and regularly consumed entrées.

Pie Fact #2: 186 million pies are sold in grocery stores and supermarkets in America each year.

If you are unsure of how to celebrate National Pie Day, don’t worry because we have your back, and some recipes! We strayed from the beaten path with these creations, but we hope you like them. If you make them, let us know what you think!

No Bake Key Lime Pie Energy Bars

Get out the food processor because you aren’t going to be able to resist these protein-filled bars that can energize you throughout the day. Think of one bar as a healthy slice of pie.

Click here to make the recipe.

Raw Vegan Pumpkin Pie Tarts

While it may not be fall anymore and the pumpkin spice fad has come and gone, you can still enjoy these sweet and delectable pumpkin tarts. The best thing about this dessert is that it is hard to mess up!

Click here to make the recipe.

Raw Pizza With Spinach Pesto & Marinated Vegetables

Yes, we had to go savory for our third and final Pie Day recipe. This one is for all the people with dehydrators because you need one in order to get the raw pizza crust. This pizza is delicious and fills you up super fast because the food is so nutrient dense.

Click here to make the recipe.

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You can never have enough snack recipes. These zesty bars are full of healthy protein and help to keep you full throughout the day. They are great for cleansing or just to keep as a healthy snack!

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If you don’t have key limes to make this dessert, regular limes will suffice, but using key limes will give it that classic flavor you know and love; minus all the sugar and coloring, of course.

Photo Credit: Choosing Chia

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