Lemons are known for being sour, acidic, and even a little bitter. Sour drinks are refreshing in the summer, but it becomes unpleasant when too much of that flavor is detected.
Everyone has experienced the unpleasant taste of a lemon that’s gone wrong. However, there are ways to remove this bitterness from your juice. In this article, I’ll explain how to remove bitterness from your juice.
The reason behind the bitter taste of lemon juice:
This is because of the presence of a compound called limonene. This bitter compound is also found in other citrus fruits like orange and lime, but the amount present in lemon juice alone makes it too much to be pleasant when drunk raw. The crucial point here is how this acid interacts with water molecules after being mixed with oxygen from your mouth.
When too much limonene is present in the juice, it can be detected severely when sipped on its own. Though if you mix it with other juices or add it to preparation with more flavor profiles, the unpleasant flavors would be masked by these flavors.
How to remove the bitterness from lemon juice?
There are different ways to remove lemon juice’s bitterness. The most effective way is using the “cold press” method. There are other methods, like adding sugar or even separating the juices inside the fruit. Here are the steps below:
● Cold press method: This is a simple way to remove the bitterness from your lemon juice. Use a well-branded cold press juicer and collect your lemon juice into a container and then place it in the freezer for about an hour. After that, take out the container and let it thaw until room temperature. Then strain the juice from the lemon. You’ll notice that it has a sweeter taste as compared to before.
● Boiling method: Another best way to remove bitterness from lemon juice is to boil it. You need to place your lemon juice into a pan and then boil it until the water evaporates. This process may take about an hour, depending on how concentrated you want your juice to be. After that, let it cool before straining the mixture from the juice. This conversion of the acid enzyme into salt will eliminate the bitterness from your lemon juice.
● Sugar method: One of the best ways to make your lemon juice less bitter is by adding sugar, but not so much that you can’t even tell any difference in taste. I recommend adding about one cup for every eight lemons you squeeze.
● Separate method: If you want to remove the bitterness from your lemon juice, you’ll need to separate the juices inside the fruit before squeezing it. This is a very tedious process, so I don’t recommend it unless desperate. But in case you choose this method, you will have to extract the juice separately using a citrus press or another juicer. After that, you’ll need to pour it into a pitcher and then add the rest of the lemon juice from your squeezed fruit on top of it before mixing them thoroughly.
● Lemon soda water method: If you don’t feel like going through all the hassle, then you can simply mix some lemon soda with your lemon juice to make it taste less bitter. Of course, this method works best if you were using lemons that weren’t as sour or acidic.
Why remove the bitterness from lemon juice?
Simply put, it’s because bitterness is an unpleasant flavor. Most people don’t like it because it leaves a rather odd taste in your mouth. It’s also unpleasant to smell and can ruin the perfect recipe that you’ve been working on for hours. It’s important not to go overboard when removing the bitterness because too much sugar can also ruin your drink. Bitter can be an excellent flavor to have if it’s in moderation, but lemon juice has the potential to make things taste awful with too much acidity and bitter taste.
FAQs:
Does thoroughly squeezing a lime make the juice bitter?
Yes, squeezing your lime too much will make the juice more bitter and acidic. The lime is squeezed only with the hands, which then contacts the surface of the lemon. The acid in the lemon reacts with the lime and forms chemicals that are not desirable.
Does cooking lemon turn it bitter?
Yes. The bitterness of lemon is due to a chemical called limonene, which is found in the skin. It is found in the peel of the lemon, not from cooking it or eating it.
How to Prevent Lemon Slices from Being Bitter?
One approach to prevent bitter lemon slices is to slice the lemons with a knife, but it is difficult. You can also sprinkle some sugar on them or put them in the freezer so they are less sour.
To prevent your lemon slices from being too sour, you can add some sugar before you start slicing them or freeze them for around 3 hours.
Is bitter lemon water good for you?
Bitter lemon water is a refreshing drink that many people consume. It is made by mixing fresh lemon juice with water and adding some sugar or honey to it.
Some people believe that bitter lemon water is a cure for many diseases, but this is not the case. On the other hand, it’s an excellent drink if you want something sour and refreshing after eating spicy food because it helps with digestion. It also works great in various beverages, including fruit juice, because of its sour taste.
Is milk used to counteract the bitter taste of lemon?
Some recipes ask for milk to counteract the bitter taste of lemon, but I don’t think this is a good idea. Milk doesn’t work as well as other ingredients because it can make your drink less sour and more creamy. It also reduces the sharpness of the flavor.
Conclusion:
For this article, I have shared several methods to remove the bitterness from lemon juice. If you want to cut down on sourness or acidity, then adding sugar can be a good approach, but if you are looking for ways to make it less bitter, try using the cold press method or boiling it first before mixing it with other ingredients.
Hope it helps!
