The lemon is relatively young, being first reference in history in the first century AD. There are three types; the rough, the sweet and the acidic which is the kind that we find in the stores.
The sweet variety and is known as the Meyer lemon. It has a very nice sweet flavor and it is becoming more popular. The rough lemon is used as root stock for propagating other varieties of citrus fruits.
Lemons are well known as the base for lemonade. They, like other citrus fruit, are a good source of vitamin C. They are a very versatile fruit, adding their acid juice to other foods, such as salads, fresh vegetable juice, preserves the freshness and they add zest to foods.
Lemons, raw, without peel
| Nutrient | Units | Value per 100 grams |
Number of Data Points |
Std. Error |
1.00 X 1 fruit (2-1/8″ dia) ——- 58g |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proximates | |||||
| Water |
g
|
88.98
|
5
|
0.82
|
51.61
|
| Energy |
kcal
|
29
|
0
|
0
|
17
|
| Energy |
kj
|
121
|
0
|
0
|
70
|
| Protein |
g
|
1.10
|
0
|
0
|
0.64
|
| Total lipid (fat) |
g
|
0.30
|
0
|
0
|
0.17
|
| Ash |
g
|
0.30
|
0
|
0
|
0.17
|
| Carbohydrate, by difference |
g
|
9.32
|
0
|
0
|
5.41
|
| Fiber, total dietary |
g
|
2.8
|
0
|
0
|
1.6
|
| Sugars, total |
g
|
2.50
|
0
|
0
|
1.45
|
| Minerals | |||||
| Calcium, Ca |
mg
|
26
|
0
|
0
|
15
|
| Iron, Fe |
mg
|
0.60
|
0
|
0
|
0.35
|
| Magnesium, Mg |
mg
|
8
|
0
|
0
|
5
|
| Phosphorus, P |
mg
|
16
|
0
|
0
|
9
|
| Potassium, K |
mg
|
138
|
0
|
0
|
80
|
| Sodium, Na |
mg
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
| Zinc, Zn |
mg
|
0.06
|
1
|
0
|
0.03
|
| Copper, Cu |
mg
|
0.037
|
1
|
0
|
0.021
|
| Manganese, Mn |
mg
|
0.030
|
0
|
0
|
0.017
|
| Selenium, Se |
mcg
|
0.4
|
0
|
0
|
0.2
|
| Vitamins | |||||
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid |
mg
|
53.0
|
0
|
0
|
30.7
|
| Thiamin |
mg
|
0.040
|
0
|
0
|
0.023
|
| Riboflavin |
mg
|
0.020
|
0
|
0
|
0.012
|
| Niacin |
mg
|
0.100
|
0
|
0
|
0.058
|
| Pantothenic acid |
mg
|
0.190
|
0
|
0
|
0.110
|
| Vitamin B-6 |
mg
|
0.080
|
0
|
0
|
0.046
|
| Folate, total |
mcg
|
11
|
7
|
2.646
|
6
|
| Folic acid |
mcg
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Folate, food |
mcg
|
11
|
7
|
2.646
|
6
|
| Folate, DFE |
mcg_DFE
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
6
|
| Vitamin B-12 |
mcg
|
0.00
|
0
|
0
|
0.00
|
| Vitamin B-12, added |
mcg
|
0.00
|
0
|
0
|
0.00
|
| Vitamin A, IU |
IU
|
22
|
0
|
0
|
13
|
| Vitamin A, RAE |
mcg_RAE
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
| Retinol |
mcg
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) |
mg
|
0.15
|
0
|
0
|
0.09
|
| Vitamin E, added |
mg
|
0.00
|
0
|
0
|
0.00
|
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) |
mcg
|
0.0
|
0
|
0
|
0.0
|
| Lipids | |||||
| Fatty acids, total saturated |
g
|
0.039
|
0
|
0
|
0.023
|
| 4:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
| 6:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
| 8:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
| 10:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
| 12:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
| 14:0 |
g
|
0.001
|
0
|
0
|
0.001
|
| 16:0 |
g
|
0.035
|
0
|
0
|
0.020
|
| 18:0 |
g
|
0.002
|
0
|
0
|
0.001
|
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated |
g
|
0.011
|
0
|
0
|
0.006
|
| 16:1 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.001
|
0
|
0
|
0.001
|
| 18:1 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.010
|
0
|
0
|
0.006
|
| 20:1 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
| 22:1 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated |
g
|
0.089
|
0
|
0
|
0.052
|
| 18:2 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.063
|
0
|
0
|
0.037
|
| 18:3 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.026
|
0
|
0
|
0.015
|
| 18:4 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
| 20:4 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
| 20:5 n-3 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
| 22:5 n-3 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
| 22:6 n-3 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
0
|
0.000
|
| Cholesterol |
mg
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Other | |||||
| Alcohol, ethyl |
g
|
0.0
|
0
|
0
|
0.0
|
| Caffeine |
mg
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Theobromine |
mg
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Carotene, beta |
mcg
|
3
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
| Carotene, alpha |
mcg
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
| Cryptoxanthin, beta |
mcg
|
20
|
1
|
0
|
12
|
| Lycopene |
mcg
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
| Lutein + zeaxanthin |
mcg
|
11
|
2
|
0
|
6
|
USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18 (2005)
