Orange or lemon: Which one has more vitamin C?

Orange and lemon are both abundantly available in the tangerine variety in India. They are widely used in Indian cuisines thanks to their tangy and sour flavor. Not just juice, but their aromatic zest is also added to baked goods and salads for a refreshing taste. These two brightly-coloured tangy treats also brim with vitamin C. But, have you wondered is it orange or lemon that has more vitamin C content than the other?

To decode that, Health Shots spoke to Asma Alam, a consulting nutritionist and dietitian.

“Lemons and oranges are both citrus fruits that belong to the Rutaceae family. They more or less have similar nutritional qualities. Vitamin C is one of the most essential elements of both fruits,” says Alam.

Orange or lemon: Here are some key differences in their nutritional content:

1. Oranges have higher sugar content and contain more calories and carbs, in comparison to lemons. They are higher in fiber, protein, and fats.
2. As their size suggests, lemons being smaller in size weigh about 58 grams, while a medium-sized orange weighs about 131 grams.
3. People often opt for an orange when it comes to a low-fat diet. Although lemons taste sour in comparison to oranges, this difference in the taste is determined on the basis of the fruit’s acidity.
4. A lemon’s acidity is between 5 to 7 percent, while that of an orange is 1 percent; hence lemons are acidic compared to oranges.
5. The fruit orange is exceptionally packed with numerous essential vitamins such as Vitamin A, E, and various B vitamins like B1, B2, B3 as well as B5. On the contrary, lemons contain only vitamin B6 other than Vitamin C.

Orange or lemon: Which one is more rich in Vitamin C?

Both these fruits also have almost similar amounts of Vitamin. However, the vitamin C content in orange is just slightly higher than a lemon though. Don’t be surprised, but more vitamin C is found in the citrus peel of orange than a lemon. On the contrary, the vitamin C content of raw lemon juice is higher than that of an orange.

Hence, be it an orange or lemon, you can bite on any of these fruits for a boost of vitamin C. Just don’t forget to include their zest in your food for an added dose of Vitamin C. You can add its rind to your drinks, curries and even cakes and enjoy the tangy aroma.