About Lemon Juice
It takes four lemons to produce a cup of lemon juice. Each lemon contains three to four tablespoons of juice that provides 30 percent of daily vitamin C. The rind and the pulp from a lemon can be used in baking, but the lemon juice is the most versatile part of the lemon. Lemon juice can be used in salad dressings, in cooking eggs, for extra vitamin C, to help absorb minerals, aid in digestion, to enhance fish and as a condiment in Greek cooking. Lemon juice can be used in daily housekeeping.
History
Lemons were first used as an antiseptic in India. Christopher Columbus brought lemons to Haiti in 1493. In 1747, James Lind used oranges and lemons on sailors suffering from scurvy. The Spanish brought lemon seeds to the New World, and by the 1700's, lemons were growing in Florida and California where the juice was used in cooking.
Features
The average lemon yields three to four tablespoons of juice. The juice of one lemon contains 25 calories, 20 IU (international unit) of vitamin A, 46 mg of ascorbic acid, and 6.7 to 8.6 percent of citric acid. It is no wonder that lemon juice is too tart to drink without added sugar and water. However, lemon juice has many uses in cooking, cleaning and medicinal.
Function
Lemon juice can be substituted for vinegar in making salads. It can be used when poaching an egg to keep the egg from spreading. The acid in lemon juice helps the proteins in the egg coagulate. Lemon juice adds a tangy flavor to soups and sauces. It is a summer treat in lemonade and lemon sorbet. A twist of lemon juice on fish, removes the fish smells and adds zest. Lemon juice intensifies the flavor of fruit and stops it from browning. For interesting cooking, lemon juice with a small amount of sugar, adds a sweet and sour taste to vegetables. The Greeks use lemon juice and olive oil as a sauce on their food.
Considerations
Lemon juice can be used as a marinade for meat. It's also used to sour milk or cream for baked dishes. A teaspoon or two of lemon juice in milk or cream will sour it within ten to fifteen minutes. European cooks use lemon juice to create that mild but tart taste in their foods. A squeeze of lemon juice adds flavor to tea. Along with oranges, lemon juice makes a great marmalade.
Potential
Lemon juice is not only a versatile product in cooking, it can be used as a medicinal product and a cleansing agent. It soothes insect bites and disinfects cuts. As a topical solution, it can mixed with oil or almond oil to help eczema. It can help fight dandruff. After shampooing, add lemon juice and water to the scalp as a final rinse. Lemon juice is also helpful as a cleaning aid. Lemon juice helps dissolve soap scum and disinfect a sink. One cup of olive oil and 1/2 cup of lemon juice makes a fine furniture polish.
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