How Much Juice Is In A Lemon And In Half A Lemon?

Today we take a look at how much juice is in a lemon. Not only will I discuss exact amounts, but I will also help guide you through making calculations for other quantities, like a cup of juice or a 1/4 cup of juice.

These conversions are easy using my in-depth guide. Now, you never have to run back to the store to buy more lemons for your recipes! You can confidently buy just enough to avoid wastage and effort.

How Much Juice Is In A Lemon And In Half A Lemon Easy Guide (2)

How Much Lemon Juice Is In One Lemon?

Today, we jump right into it: how much juice is in one lemon? To answer this question, you first need to take into consideration a couple of variables. These will all ultimately determine the exact amount you get per fruit.

If you don’t consider these, you will end up either buying way too many or way too few lemons!

The Type Of Lemon

This may seem ridiculous! But there are actually about 30 species of lemon out there. And believe it or not, they each will produce a different amount of juice.

Now, if you are working on averages, you can use my guide below. However, if you know that you are working with a specific type of lemon, you can research how much juice it will give you.

This can ultimately help you calculate exactly how many lemons you need to make X amount of juice.

A great example of this is the Lisbon lemons. These are quite large and will produce a lot of juice. This juice not only comes from their bigger size but their higher moisture content.

Size Of The Lemon

This one is quite obvious. A larger fruit (from two of the same species) has a better chance of producing more juice.

However, there are sometimes other factors that can make this untrue. Again, the keyword here is “more likely.”

Moisture Content

Even if you have a larger fruit, that doesn’t always mean it is going to give you more juice. If a small lemon has a higher moisture content than a larger (drier) one, it will likely produce more juice.

You can (to some extent) determine the moisture content of lemons by feeling their weight. A heavier lemon will likely contain more juice and thus produce more.

How Much Juice Is In A Lemon?

So, if we are working with average amounts here, we will first say that each lemon weighs approximately 1.7-2.8 ounces (50-80 grams).

That’s still a pretty big difference, but as I’ve said before, there are many different types and obviously, sizes as well.

On average, one of these lemons will give you 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice. You may get slightly more, but it’s not likely.

Again, I cannot stress this enough, if you are working with larger lemons or specific high-moisture lemon species, this amount increases. If you are working with smaller, drier lemons, you will get less juice.

3 tablespoons of lemon juice per lemon is an average to work on.

If you convert this to fluid ounces, that’s 1.52 fluid ounces (45 millimeters).

How Much Juice Is In Half A Lemon?

Half a lemon will obviously produce roughly half the amount of juice a full one does. That works out to about 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice per half a lemon.

This is 0.76 fluid ounces (22.5 milliliters).

And again, the size and type of your lemon will determine how much juice you ultimately get.

How Much Juice Is In 2 Lemons?

Two average-sized fruits will give you roughly 6 tablespoons of lemon juice. That is about 2/5 of a cup.

This will work out to 3.04 fluid ounces (90 milliliters) of lemon juice for two lemons.

How Many For 1 Cup Of Juice

One US cup is equivalent to 8 fluid ounces (236.59 milliliters).

If one gives you 1.52 fluid ounces (45 milliliters), you will need 5.25 lemons to make 1 cup of lemon juice.

That’s 5 and one-quarter of average-sized lemons.

How Much Juice Is In A Lemon And In Half A Lemon

How To Extract The Most Juice

There are a surprising number of ways you can extract lemon juice from fresh lemons. Some are much easier than others.

Once you have successfully extracted the juice, you can make some delicious recipes like my Brazilian Homemade Lemonade or my Homemade Orange-Lemon Lemonade.

But of course, you can also make hearty dinners like Lemon Fennel Salad, Air-Fried Lemon Falafels, or sprinkle some lemon juice over Laura’s delicious Air Fryer Cod!

First of all, no matter which method you use, it always helps to heat the whole lemons slightly before juicing them. This helps break down the membranes that keep the juice inside. Ultimately, you are guaranteed to get slightly more juice than you would if you were using cold or room-temperature lemons.

To heat lemons, remember to take off any plastic or stickers. Heat the lemons whole and on a microwave-safe plate or bowl. When working with them, keep in mind that the skin and juice will be hot.

Only heat them for 15 seconds initially. Then, if you need to extract more juice, you can reheat them again, face down, for another 10 seconds.

Method 1: Hand Juicing

You can either press it between your two hands or use a special hand tool. This could be a citrus squeezer or citrus reamers.

This method is labor-intensive but still effective. Not to mention, these tools are very cheap.

Method 2: Appliances

Many special citrus juicers will not only extract as much juice as possible but separate the pulp, seeds, pith, and skin from the juice.

While these appliances are extremely effective in extracting as much juice as the lemon has to offer, they are expensive. But, if this is something you do frequently, I recommend the investment.