Juices

Lime Juice

Juice
0% ABV
200 drinks

Is this for me?

Choose this if…

✓You want fresh acidity and fruit flavour in your drink.

Skip if…

✗You prefer a sweeter or lower-acid flavour profile.

At a Glance

4 kcalCalories

0%ABV

0.3gSugar

1.3gCarbs

JuiceType

200Recipes

Ingredient nutrition is approximate and varies by brand, recipe and preparation.

What is Lime Juice?

Lime juice is a high-impact cocktail acid used in Margaritas, Daiquiris, Mojitos, tropical drinks, tequila cocktails and many refreshing mocktails. It gives drinks a crisp citrus edge and balances sugar, fruit and spirits.

What does Lime Juice taste like?

Tart, zesty and bright, with a sharper green-citrus character than lemon. Lime juice pairs especially well with tequila, rum, gin, vodka, orange liqueur, mint, pineapple, coconut, ginger and spicy flavours.

Lime Juice profile

Mixability: HighIntensity: LightSweetBeginner-friendly: High

Best used for: sours, citrus cocktails, refreshing drinks, tropical drinks

Appears in 200+ recipes
Works in both cocktails and mocktails
Has 3 common substitutes

Ways to use lime juice

Cocktails (182)Mocktails (12)Punches (4)Shots (2)

Flavour profile

Citrus · primaryLime · mediumSweet · mediumTart · secondary

Recipes using this

Observed quantities

Observed in single-serve recipes: middle half 29.57–59.15 ml; median 59.15 ml.

In the measured recipes in this dataset — from 192 observed uses.

Scoped nutrition

Calories (per 100 ml): 25
Sugar (per 100 ml): 1.7 g
Carbs (per 100 ml): 8.4 g

Ingredient nutrition is approximate and varies by brand, recipe and preparation.

Diet compatibility

Autoimmune Protocol DietNot compatible
Colonoscopy DietNot compatible
Gluten-FreeCompatible
IIFYM DietCompatible
KetoNot compatible
Low FODMAP DietNot compatible
Low-CarbNot compatible
Low-SugarNot compatible
Pescatarian DietCompatible
Sirtfood DietNot compatible
VeganCompatible
VegetarianCompatible

Based on the listed ingredient only — a public recipe facet, not medical, allergy or coeliac advice. Specific brands and preparation can change compatibility.

Commonly observed with

Simple SyrupLight RumBlanco TequilaLime WedgeLime WheelTriple SecDark RumGrapefruit Juice

Observed co-use in the reviewed recipe corpus — not a universal pairing recommendation.

Trust & methodology

Canonical ingredient/component authority assembled from reviewed identity, recipe, flavour, nutrition, diet and substitution evidence. Observed quantities and co-use patterns are descriptive, not prescriptions or universal recommendations.

Evidence last updated: 2026-07-16T02:53:30.320595+00:00

What it is

What does lime juice do in drinks?

Lime juice adds bright acidity with a sharper, greener citrus character than lemon. It is often used when a cocktail needs freshness, tartness and a crisp finish.

How it's used

How lime juice is used

Lime juice is common in tequila, rum and tropical-style drinks. It works well with agave, mint, ginger, cola, pineapple and many forms of sugar or syrup.

Serving tips

Use lime juice fresh where possible and taste before adding extra sweetness. Lime can become very sharp, so syrup, fruit or a small pinch of salt can help round the drink.

About this drink

Lime juice became especially important in rum, tequila and tropical drink families because it brings sharper green citrus acidity. Its role connects mocktails and cocktails: lime, sugar and length can structure a drink even without alcohol.

Drink counts and recipe data are based on published WhatDrink recipes. Figures may vary as new recipes are added.

Lime Juice — common questions

How many cocktails are made with Lime Juice?: There are 200 cocktail recipes featuring Lime Juice in the WhatDrink database.
What are the most popular cocktails made with Lime Juice?: Top-ranked cocktails made with Lime Juice include Limestone, Limey, Vodka Slime. Rankings are based on recipe quality and data completeness.
What is the ABV of Lime Juice?: Lime Juice has an ABV of approximately 0%. The exact strength varies by brand and expression.
What do the sensory profile dimensions mean?: Sensory profile dimensions describe key flavour characteristics: Intensity (light to bold), Sweetness (dry to sweet), Mixability (how versatile it is in cocktails) and Beginner-Friendly (acquired taste to easy intro). Each scale helps you compare Lime Juice with similar ingredients at a glance.
How do I use the Lime Juice sensory profile to find drinks I like?: If you enjoy the intensity and flavour profile of Lime Juice, look for other ingredients or cocktails with a similar profile. Compare Intensity, Sweetness and Mixability to find substitutes or discover new cocktails in the same flavour family.