HOW MUCH LEMON JUICE DO YOU GET FROM ONE LEMON?

By Dr Anny Manrich (PhD) | Reviewed by Dr Anny Manrich (PhD)

Page last updated: 03/28/2023 | Next review date: 03/28/2025

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The contents of this article are fact-based except otherwise stated within the article.

Author bio

Dr Anny March PhD is a food Engineer with expertise in Food Technology, Natural Polymers, Edible Films, Enzymes, and Nanotechnology.

Dr Anny Manrich’s Highlights:

Research and Technology at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation
Dr Anny Manrich (PhD)

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Reviewer bio

Dr Anny March PhD is a food Engineer with expertise in Food Technology, Natural Polymers, Edible Films, Enzymes, and Nanotechnology.

Dr Anny Manrich’s Highlights:

Research and Technology at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation
Dr Anny Manrich (PhD)

View More north_east

In this article, we will briefly discuss a commonly asked question, ‘how much lemon juice do you get from one lemon?’ Also, some fun facts about lemon are mentioned and also a recipe for a refresher is shared.

How much lemon juice do you get from one lemon?

A study showed that the lemon yields on average 43.8% juice. That is lower than orange (45.2%) and mandarin (51.8%) (1). A regular-sized lemon, let’s say 5 ounces in weight yields about 4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.

Not all have access to a 5-ounce lemon so how much lemon juice will be there in a small or large lemon? Well no worries, a small lemon of around 4 ounces will give 3 tablespoons of lemon juice while a large lemon of about 6 ounces will give around 6 tablespoons of lemon juice.

Fun fact: to ease the juicing process it is advised to roll the lemon with a little force on a countertop so that the juice is easily released.

What is the nutritional profile of lemons?

Lemons are considered a citrus fruit and all citrus are considered to be a source of vitamin c. So lemons are considered an excellent source of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Despite this, lemons are rich in folate, flavonoids, potassium and a compound called limonin.

According to the US Department of Agriculture, 100 g (3.5 ounces), contains:

Water 92.3 g

Energy 22 kcal

Protein 0.35 g

Total lipid (fat) 0.24 g

Ash 0.21 g

Carbohydrate 6.9 g

Fiber 0.3 g

Sugars 2.52 g

Sucrose 0.43 g

Glucose 0.99 g

Fructose 1.1 g

Calcium, Ca 6 mg

Magnesium, Mg 6 mg

Phosphorus, P 8 mg

Potassium, K 103 mg

Sodium, Na 1 mg

Vitamin C 38.7 mg

What are the health benefits of consuming lemons?

Lemon provides the following health benefits

Immunity booster

Vitamin C helps in eradicating the free radicals and helps boost up immunity. It also stimulates the production of white blood cells based Several papers report that during infections and stress, vitamin C concentrations in the plasma and leukocytes rapidly decline and supplementation of vitamin C improves the function of the human immune system, such as antimicrobial and natural killer cell activities, lymphocyte proliferation, chemotaxis, and delayed-type hypersensitivity. In addition, vitamin C contributes to maintaining the redox integrity of cells and thereby protects them against reactive oxygen species generated during the respiratory burst and in the inflammatory response, therefore, adequate intake of vitamin C ameliorates symptoms and shortens the duration of respiratory tract infections (including the common cold), reduces the incidence and improves the outcome of pneumonia, malaria, and diarrhea infections (2).

Heart health

Folic acid or folates in lemon are linked with stroke prevention and better heart health. Also, vitamin C is linked to better heart health because of its antioxidative and anti-cancer properties. Vitamin C has been shown to reduce monocyte adhesion to the endothelium. Adhesion of circulating monocytes to endothelial cells is one key in the formation of atheromas, and is considered one of the early signs of the development of atherosclerosis. Additionally, vitamin C has been shown to improve nitric oxide production of the endothelium, which, in turn, increases vasodilation, reducing blood pressure. Furthermore, vitamin C may prevent apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells, which helps keep plaques more stable if atherosclerosis has developed (3).

Kidney stones

Citrus juices are linked with disrupting stone formation in the body. The more citrus you take the more your kidney breaks down those stones. The high potassium content of limes is very effective in removal of the toxic substances and the precipitates deposited in kidneys, urinary bladder and its disinfectant properties help cure infections in the urinary system. It also stops prostate growth (very common in males above 40) and clears blockage of urine due to deposition of calcium in the urinary tract (4).

Weight loss

Lemon juice is known to shed fat and detoxify your body. It gives that feeling of fullness when consumed on an empty stomach. A glass of warm water with a full-lime juice in it is an excellent weight reducer as well as a brilliant refresher and antioxidant drink. The citric acid present in limon is an excellent fat burner. Just have two glasses a day and see the remarkable result within a week (4).

Antibacterial antimicrobial property

Lemon peels and lemon juice because of certain phytochemicals and citric acid is considered as an excellent antimicrobial agent. Citrus flavonoids have a large spectrum of biological activity including antibacterial, antifungal, antidiabetic, anticancer and antiviral activities. Flavonoids can function as direct antioxidants and free radical scavengers, and have the capacity to modulate enzymatic activities and inhibit cell proliferation (4).

Pregnancy

Being rich in folic acid lemons can be consumed by expecting individuals as it reduces neural tube defects in an infant. Lemon juice has a very small amount (11 mg) of folic acid and is not considered an important source of this vitamin (4).

Liver health

Lemon juice has been shown to replenish the damaged livers of rats that actively used to have alcohol rich diets. The same can be said for humans but further strong studies and investigations are needed. A study suggests that lemon juice has protective effects on alcohol-induced liver injury in mice. The protective effects might be related to the antioxidant capacity of lemon juice because lemon juice showed in vitro antioxidant capacity (7).

What are the health risks associated with lemons?

Consuming too much of anything can come with a repercussion so do with lemons. Consuming too many lemons comes with a price. Firstly lemons can cause throat or chest infections if not used in moderation.

Similarly, gastric reflux problems, indigestion and heartburn are commonly reported problems with diets with too much lemon. Also, citric acid is reported to wear down the enamel of your tooth causing sensitivity. The frequent use of acids in the diet that come in direct contact with teeth has been identified as an extrinsic etiologic factor in dental erosion. Vitamin C has also been implicated in childhood dental erosion based on case reports. Increase in consumption of acidic fruit juices, fruit drinks, and carbonated beverages may lead to a higher prevalence of erosion (5).

What are the ways to store lemon juice?

After juicing a lemon you may store it in a covered glass bottle. Or make cubes of juice by filling an ice tray with lemon juice and simply using it in drinks to make it more refreshing (6).

Prepackaged lemon juice is also available under many names in the market but they often leave an offensive bitter after taste behind. Sometimes these said prepackaged bottles are more costly than regular lemons.

How to make a summer drink with lemon juice?

In summers, lemon water or lemonade refreshes and replenishes the body. It fixes the electrolytic balance that due to sweating gets disturbed. So what do we need for this? Simple everyday ingredients, that’s all.

Take 2 medium peaches.
Peel them and cut them into cubes.
In a blender add the peaches, 3 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 cup of ice and 1.5 cups of any carbonated beverage you have. Water can also be substituted with a drink. If you are a fitness freak, substitute sugar with honey or stevia.
Blend it all up until smooth.
Serve with a straw and enjoy.

Note that frozen peach can also be used but skip the ice and add another cup of liquid.