Should I add squeezes of lime juice to pho bo?

Answer:

Beef contains a high amount of iron, while limes are rich in vitamin C, which boosts iron absorption. So adding lime juice to dishes containing beef, including pho bo, enhances the efficiency of our body’s iron absorption process.

Doing so also enhances the dish’s flavor as the citric acid in lime juice, when combined with amino acid, creates a sweet and taste-flattering flavor.

Adding squeezes of lime juice to pho bo helps increase the dish's nutrition value. Illustration photo by Pixabay

Though it is true that hot broth may make the vitamins in limes evaporate, the evaporated amount is comparatively low.

Not only pho bo, you can squeeze lime juice into any other dishes containing beef to improve the flavor and enhance its nutrition value in terms of iron absorption efficiency. Other vitamin C-rich food sources you can also use with beef are oranges, grapefruits, bell peppers, carrots, and tomatoes.

However, keep in mind that you should not have tea or coffee immediately after eating dishes with a high amount of iron to ensure the efficiency of the iron absorbing process.

Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh

Hanoi University of Science and Technology’s Institute of Food Technology and Biotechnology