8+ Substitute for lemon juice

8+ Substitute for lemon juice. When choosing a lemon juice substitute, it is advisable to consider any health or nutritional needs.

For example, some people do not want to use lemon juice because it is very acidic and may cause heartburn or intensify symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Others may want something slightly less sour or a quick and easy substitute when the refrigerator is bare.

This article discusses suitable lemon juice substitutes that ensure a recipe tastes right even when a person does not have time to go to the store.

Lime juice

Lime juice offers the flavor most similar to lemon juice, though it is slightly more bitter. It works well in a 1–1 ratio, but people sensitive to bitter flavors might consider diluting the lime juice.

A 100-gram (g) serving of lime juice;

• 25 calories (kcal)
• 1.69 g sugar
• 14 milligrams (mg) calcium
• 8 mg magnesium
• 117 mg potassium
• 2 mg sodium

Apple cider vinegar (ACV)

ACV offers the same bitter, tangy taste as lemon with a slightly salty flavor. The end product will not have a strong citrus flavor. ACV should substitute lemon juice with a 1–1 ratio. That means if the recipe calls for a cup of lemon juice, a person should instead add a cup of ACV.

ACV is an increasingly popular home remedy for a variety of health conditions. If a person avoids lemon juice because of heartburn, ACV may be a suitable alternative. While no recent research has tested the role of ACV in fighting heartburn, plenty of anecdotal evidence on message boards and blogs suggests that some people find relief using it.

A 100 g serving of ACV contains;

• 21 kcal
• 0.4 g sugar
• 7 mg calcium
• 73 mg potassium
• 0.2 mg iron

Orange juice 

8+ Substitute for lemon juice. Orange juice offers a sweeter flavor than lemon juice, making it an ideal choice for people who like the freshness of lemon but not the bitter aftertaste. A person should use a 1–1 ratio, adding the same amount of orange juice as the recipe states for lemon juice.

A 100 g serving of orange juice contains;

• 45 kcal
• 8.4 g sugar
• 11 mg calcium
• 200 mg potassium
• 0.2 mg iron
• 1 mg sodium
• 50 mg vitamin C

Clever Substitutes for Lemon Juice

Whether you want to try something new or just don’t feel like going to the store (we feel that), there’s a bushel of alternative options.

1. Lime juice

Can you substitute lime juice for lemon juice? Absolutely! Limes and lemons are often used interchangeably. They’re both tart, acidic citrus fruits and have similar nutrition.

	Lemon juice, 1 fluid ounce	Lime juice, 1 fluid ounce
calories	6.71 kcal	7.7 kcal
carbs	2.1 grams (g)	2.59 g
sugars	0.76 g	0.52 g
calcium	1.83 milligrams (mg)	4.31 mg
vitamin C	11.8 mg	9.24 mg
potassium	31.4 mg	36 mg

Bonus: Limes also have the advantage of being easier to squeeze by hand. Key lime pie, anyone?

2. Orange juice

Orange juice — aka lemon juice’s Floridian friend — is another type of citrus fruit. A little sweeter and less acidic, OJ makes the perfect substitute for things like sweet sauces and salad dressings.

Just keep in mind, OJ has more calories, sugar, and carbs than lemon juice. But it’s also a better source of vitamin C and potassium. A 1 fluid ounce serving of orange juice has:

• Calories: 14 kcal
• Carbs: 3.22 g
• Sugars: 2.6 g
• Calcium: 3.41 mg
• Vitamin C: 15.5 mg
• Potassium: 62 mg

3. Grapefruit juice

Consider grapefruit, lemon’s larger cousin. It’s juicy AF, and you can prob get a cup of liquid goodness from a single fruit.

Much like the orange, it’s prob best not to use this hefty fella in dishes that have a very lemony taste (e.g. lemon bars or lemon meringue pie). But it can def add a zesty kick to fresh salads or fruit dishes. We also love that grapefruit is a decent source of vitamin C and potassium.

BTW, it’s worth mentioning grapefruit can interfere with certain medications. They include some meds used to treat high cholesterol, high blood pressure, allergies, and anxiety. So, you might want to double-check with your healthcare professional before going to town on these juicy fruits.

4. Citric acid

Citric acid is a naturally occurring acid found in lemon juice, which makes powdered citric acid a great lemon juice substitute, especially in baking.

One teaspoon (5 grams) of citric acid is equal in acidity to about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of lemon juice. Thus, only a very small amount is required, and you’ll need to make recipe adjustments.

It may also be necessary to add additional liquid to your recipe to maintain the correct dry-to-wet ratio of ingredients.

In addition, using citric acid in baked goods may even prevent certain vitamins and antioxidants from being destroyed during cooking.

5. Lemon zest

If you have frozen or dried lemon zest on hand, it can serve as a concentrated source of lemon flavor and acidity.

It works well in desserts and recipes in which lemon is a primary flavor.

However, you may need to add additional liquid to the recipe for it turn out correctly, especially when baking.

6. Lemon extract

Concentrate. No, seriously. Lemon extract is concentrated lemon juice. That means it’s the fab substitute if you want something that has that maximum lemon overdrive flavor.

One possible prob is that lemon extract is much less acidic than lemon juice. So, it might not work in recipes that require bright, acid-y tones.

7. Cream of tartar

Potassium bitartrate — P. Biddy, if you will — doesn’t bring a lot of flavor to the table. But it does pump up the party through the magic of chemistry. Cream of tartar can mimic lemon juice’s leavening effect. This can make it a great ingredient in cakes, breads, and meringues.

Potassium PSA: A 2-teaspoon serving of cream of tartar has a whopping 990 mg of potassium.

8. Apple cider vinegar (ACV)

This versatile vinegar doesn’t bring much (or any) lemon flavor to the table. But what it lacks in lemon, it makes up for in a tang. ACV has a bitter, slightly sweet flavor. It works well in savory dishes like braised greens or baked beans. You can also mix some with nut milk as a vegan buttermilk substitute.

As an added perk, you can turn ACV into a GOAT DIY cleaning product. Just mix one part ACV with one part water and shake it up in a bottle. Then spritz is all over the sticky surfaces that need a good a scrub down.

9. Celery juice

A noted Gumby impersonator and the bane of children worldwide, celery experienced a surprising surge of popularity in recent years. Although much less acidic than lemon juice, celery juice has a similar so-fresh-and-so-clean taste. And sometimes that’s all a recipe needs to go from good to BAM.

Just in case you’re curious, here are the nutrition deets for a 1 fluid ounce serving of celery juice:

• Calories: 4.13 kcal
• Carbs: 0.87 g
• Sugars: 0.395 g
• Calcium: 11.8 mg
• Vitamin C: 0.914 mg
• Potassium: 76.7 mg

Other tips

Replacing lemon juice in a recipe will slightly change the flavor. So if the problem is a shortage of lemons or lemon juice, not an issue with the way lemons taste, getting as much lemon into the recipe as possible will preserve its flavor.

For example, a person with some lemon juice but not enough could try zesting the peel of the lemons they do have and mixing the zest into any lemon substitute.

Summary

For people who dislike the taste of lemon, there are several alternatives, including:

• lime juice
• ACV
• orange juice
• grapefruit juice
• celery juice
• white wine vinegar

To get the best results, people can try experimenting with different alternatives. Making a note of the recipes the alternative work best in can make it easier to use a suitable substitute next time an ingredient is missing.