Organic Lemon Extract Explained: Fruit, Peel And Label

The lemon in brief

The lemon is so common that it is easy to forget it is a remarkable plant. Its botanical name is Citrus limon, and it grows on an evergreen tree with glossy leaves, fragrant white blossoms and bright yellow fruit. A single tree can carry blossoms, green fruit and ripe lemons at the same time, which gives a lemon grove its famously cheerful look.

The fruit has three main parts that cooks care about. The outer peel, called the zest when grated, holds fragrant oils. Under it sits the white pith, which is bitter and usually avoided in recipes. Inside is the juicy pulp, divided into neat segments and packed with sharp, sour juice.

Lemons are a hybrid citrus, probably the result of crossing citron and bitter orange long ago. That mixed ancestry is a reminder that the citrus family is a tangle of natural crosses, which is part of why there are so many varieties on the market.

Where lemons come from

Lemons are thought to have originated in parts of northeastern India, southern China and Myanmar. From there they spread along trade routes into the Middle East and the Mediterranean, and later across the Atlantic. Today the main growing regions include Spain, Italy, Turkey, Mexico, Argentina, and the warm coastal areas of California and Arizona.

The tree prefers mild winters, plenty of sun and well-drained soil. It is sensitive to hard frost, which is why you will see lemons planted in sheltered spots and in pots that can be moved indoors in colder climates.

Several varieties are well known. Eureka and Lisbon lemons are the classic grocery-store types, tart and thick-skinned. Meyer lemons, which are thought to be a cross between a lemon and a mandarin, are rounder, thinner-skinned and a little sweeter, and they have become a favorite for home bakers.

• Eureka and Lisbon: classic tart supermarket lemons
• Meyer: rounder, thin-skinned and mellow
• Verna and Femminello: common in Mediterranean orchards

Lemon in the kitchen

Few ingredients do as much with so little effort. A squeeze of juice brightens a pot of soup, a plate of roasted vegetables or a simple salad dressing. The zest goes into cakes, shortbread, pasta and rice dishes, and a strip of peel often finishes a cocktail or a pot of tea.

Preserved lemons are a staple of North African cooking. Whole lemons are packed in salt and left to soften, and the rind is then chopped into stews and tagines for a deep, mellow citrus flavor. In Italy, limoncello and lemon granita are summer favorites, and in the American South, lemonade stands are a childhood tradition.

Lemons also have everyday household uses. Many people keep a bowl of them on the counter simply because they look cheerful, and a lemon half scrubbed over a cutting board is an old kitchen habit.

What organic means on a label

When a label says organic, it refers to how the crop was grown and handled. In the United States, the USDA National Organic Program sets standards for products sold as organic. In general, certified organic farms avoid most synthetic pesticides and synthetic fertilizers and keep records that are checked by an accredited certifier.

The word is about farming practices. It does not describe flavor, strength or what the finished product does. Think of it as a statement about the way the lemons were grown, in the same way that the phrase pasture-raised describes how an animal was kept.

If a product wants to use the official organic seal, it needs to meet the rules for that claim. A supplement that says organic about one ingredient is usually referring to that ingredient only, so reading the exact wording on the ingredient line is worth the extra few seconds.

From lemon to extract

Like other botanical extracts, a lemon extract starts with plant material and a liquid. Makers may use the peel, the juice or the whole fruit, steep or press it, then separate out the solids. The resulting liquid can be used as is, concentrated or dried into a powder.

The term lemon extract can also mean different things in different aisles. In the baking section, it usually describes a flavoring made by soaking lemon peel in alcohol. In the supplement aisle, the phrase refers to a botanical ingredient listed on a Supplement Facts panel. Context matters, and the label tells you which one you are holding.

Because the two uses share a name, it helps to read beyond the headline words. Look at what the product is, what else is in it and how the maker describes the ingredient.

Organic lemon extract in VapoLung

According to the brand, VapoLung is a daily oral spray dietary supplement that includes organic lemon extract, together with mullein leaf extract, ginger root extract, bromelain from pineapple stem and Cordyceps militaris. The brand also says the product is GMO-free and made from natural botanicals in the USA, in a GMP-certified, FDA-registered facility.

The bottle holds 60 mL (2 fl oz). The suggested use is to shake well and spray into the mouth or onto the tongue once daily, preferably in the morning, or as the label directs. The amounts for each ingredient are in the Supplement Facts panel on the label.

Lemon is probably the most familiar flavor name in the list, and it is an easy ingredient to picture. If you keep lemons in your own kitchen, VapoLung offers a small reminder that familiar foods can appear on a label in a more concentrated form.

Whether you squeeze lemons into a glass of water or read about them on a VapoLung bottle, the fruit remains one of the friendliest ingredients to learn about.