How To Get Citric Acid From Fruit

Citric acid is a naturally occurring compound found in a variety of fruits. It acts as a natural preservative and manufacturers add it to many foods and beverages. You should not confuse citric acid with ascorbic acid, also known as vitamin C. Instead, citric acid is a relatively weak acid and is fundamental to your metabolic pathways by facilitating the oxidation of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Concentrated forms of citric acid are sometimes taken as a dietary aid, referred to as citrate.

Step 1

Eat citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, grapefruits and oranges. Generally, lemons and limes have a higher concentration of citric acid, approximately 47 g/L from the juices, while grapefruits and oranges yield about 21 to 26 g/L.

Step 2

Juice these citrus fruits. You may want to mix lemons and limes with water to reduce the sour taste caused by the citric acid. Avoid eating lemons and limes raw, as they are highly acidic and can break down your teeth enamel.

Step 3

Consume tomatoes and berries for a moderate amount of citric acid. Blueberries have the lowest citric acid content, about 2 percent, while black currants contain the most at 4 percent. Tomatoes have between 0.5 to 1.9 percent citric acid present. Since these amounts are quite small, you should eat the fruit whole to acquire the citric acid content.