Lemon

FruitCitrusTartCitrusyBrightFloralZestyBitter-rind

Nutrition (per 100 g)

Calories: 29
Protein (g): 1.1
Fat (g): 0.3
Carbs (g): 9.3
Fiber (g): 2.8
Sodium (mg): 2

Juice provides bright acidity; zest contributes aromatic oils and mild bitterness. Most of its weight is water with modest carbohydrates and fiber.

Storage

Room temp: up to 7 days
Refrigerated: up to 21 days
Frozen: up to 90 days

Lemon is a bright yellow citrus fruit with a firm, oily rind and juicy segmented flesh. Its juice delivers bracing acidity and a zesty citrus-oil aroma, while the zest brings concentrated oils and gentle bitterness; cooks squeeze it to finish seafood, whisk into dressings, and bake into curds and cakes. Typically sold whole, it is also used as wedges, zest, or fresh juice.

Originating in South and Southeast Asia, the lemon spread through Persia and the Mediterranean before reaching the Americas. Today it is grown in Mediterranean-climate regions worldwide, notably California, Mexico, Spain, and Italy, and features prominently in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and South Asian cuisines.