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The lemon is both a small evergreen tree (Citrus
limon, often given as C. limon) native to
Asia, and the tree's oval yellow fruit. The fruit is
used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout
the world – primarily for its juice, though the pulp
and rind (zest) are also used, mainly in cooking and
baking. Lemon juice is about 5% to 6% (approximately
0.3 M) citric acid, which gives lemons a sour taste,
and a pH of 2 to 3. This makes
lemon juice an inexpensive, readily available acid
for use in educational science experiments. Many
lemon-flavored drinks and candies are available,
including lemonade and sherbet lemons. The distinctive
sour taste of lemon juice makes it a key ingredient in
many dishes across the world.
The first substantial lemon cultivation in Europe
began in Genoa in the middle of the 15th century. It
was later introduced to the Americas in 1493 when
Christopher Columbus brought lemon seeds to Hispaniola
along his voyages. Spanish conquest throughout the New
World helped spread lemon seeds. It was mainly used as
ornament and medicine. In the 18th and 19th centuries,
lemons were increasingly planted in Florida and
California, when lemons began to be used in cooking
and flavoring.
In 1747, James Lind's experiments on seamen
suffering from scurvy involved adding vitamin C to
their diets with lemon juice.
The average lemon contains approximately 3
tablespoons of juice. Allowing lemons to come to room
temperature before squeezing (or heating briefly in a
microwave) makes the juice easier to extract
Wikipedia contributors. Lemon. Wikipedia, The
Free Encyclopedia. Available at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemon
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Antioxidant Content:
1.02 mmol/100g
© 2002
The
American Society for Nutritional Sciences J. Nutr.
132:461-471, 2002 |
