Which Fruits Contain a Large Quantity of Acid?

Which Fruits Contain a Large Quantity of Acid?

Overview

Acids occur naturally in many fruits, including oranges, apples, lemons and limes. Some of the major acids found in fruits include citric acids, malic acids and tartaric acids. Malic acids occur naturally in apples, bananas and cherries. The pH of a food is a measure of its acidity, alkalinity or neutrality levels. The pH ranges from 0 to 14, with anything above 7 considered alkaline; anything below 7, acidic; and 7, neutral. Citrus fruits -- lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits -- tend to have high acid levels.

Lemon

Lemons originated in China and have two main types, acid and sweet. They have a high acid content, and the common acidic varieties include Eurekas and Lisbons. Lemon juice has a pH level 2 to 2.60. Lemons provide more citric acid than most other citrus fruits, including oranges and grapefruits, with 1.44 g/oz. Lemons also offer a number of nutrients, including folate. Lemons are green in color when raw and yellow when they ripen.

Lime

Limes range in color from light to dark green and come in such varieties as Persian and Bearss. Limes have a similar pH level to lemons, with a range of 2 to 2.80. The National Institutes of Health also notes that lime and lemon juice, both from the fresh fruit and from juice concentrates, provide more citric acid per liter than ready-to-consume grapefruit juice, ready-to-consume orange juice and orange juice squeezed from the fruit. Lime juice has a citric acid level of 1.38 g/oz. and 1.06 g/oz. from concentrate. You can use limes as foods garnishes, for making beverages and for cleaning.

Orange

The orange name is the same as the color of the fruit: orange. Orange trees cultivate in tropical or subtropical climates. Oranges are the major fruit in the citrus group -- the pH level of a Florida orange is 3.69 to 4.34. Oranges offer a rich source of vitamin C, or ascorbic acid. A medium-sized orange also offers approximately 40 mg of folic acid.

Grapefruit

The pulp of a grapefruit ranges in color from white to pink to red. Grapefruit also can range in taste from bitter to sweet to sour. A grapefruit has a pH level of 3.00 to 3.75 and is a rich source of vitamin C.

source : livestronge.com