November 3, 2021, 3:45 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
In the fall, cold season is in full swing. A hot lemon helps meet the need for vitamin C and boosts the immune system. To extract more juice from a lemon, you can use a simple life hack.
It often happens that when squeezing a lemon, you only get a small amount of juice. Yet, the citrus fruit still contains plenty of liquid. In terms of sustainability, it’s also advisable to squeeze the lemon as thoroughly as possible. Some households have a lemon squeezer for this purpose–however, this gadget isn’t necessarily needed. There are a few tricks to extract as much juice as possible from the fruit using simple methods.
Squeezing a Lemon–How to Get the Most Juice?
To maximize the amount of juice when squeezing a lemon, follow these tips:
- Don’t store lemons in the fridge: A cold lemon from the fridge yields less juice than one at room temperature. Moreover, it’s not necessary to store a lemon in the fridge if it’s not cut. So, take it out of the fridge in time!
- Warm before juicing: To further warm the fruit, you can place it in a bowl of warm water for half a minute. Alternatively, you can put it in the microwave (20 seconds at 600 watts).
- Roll the lemon: Professionals use this trick to get more juice. Before cutting, simply roll it on the kitchen counter. This causes the cell walls in the pulp to burst, allowing more juice to flow out.
- Pierce the lemon: Once the lemon is halved, it’s worth poking the pulp with a knife. This also allows more juice to flow out when squeezing.
- Cut diagonally, not across: Most people halve the fruit lengthwise. However, if you cut it diagonally, the fruit fits better in your hand when squeezing, and you get more juice.
Tip: It’s common for seeds to end up in the cup when squeezing. It might be worthwhile to use a small sieve instead of fishing out the seeds afterward.
Also interesting: Tips against moldy organic lemons
How to Store a Cut Lemon?
For cut lemons, it’s advisable to store them in the fridge. Otherwise, there’s no need to refrigerate the fruits. In the fridge, cut lemons last a few days. It’s best to place them with the open side up on a small plate. The cut surface dries out and forms a natural protective layer. Alternatively, you can cover the surface with some plastic wrap. Additionally, lemons are said to stay fresh longer if you put some vinegar on a small plate and then place the half lemon cut side down on it. Rinse with water before squeezing. By the way, you can also use a lemon to clean the microwave quickly and effectively–without any chemicals.