QUICK ANSWER
How many calories are in lemon?
For raw lemon without peel, the selected reference is 29 kcal per 100 g. Scale that value to the edible portion and keep other preparations separate.
29 kcal / 100 gNutrition values describe a reference food state, not every individual item. Variety, water content, preparation and portion weight can change the estimate.
THE NUMBERS
Lemon nutrition facts per 100 g
The values below use the reference state shown at the top of this page. Keeping one gram basis makes it easier to compare foods before translating the values to the portion you actually ate.
- Calories
- 29 kcal
- Protein
- 1.1 g
- Carbohydrate
- 9.32 g
- Fat
- 0.3 g
- Fibre
- 2.8 g
- Vitamin C
- 53 mg
- Potassium
- 138 mg
- Calcium
- 26 mg
Source: USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy record 167746. Values may be rounded for readability.
SERVING SIZE
Calories by portion and serving weight
Words such as “small,” “medium,” “half” and “one piece” are convenient but imprecise. Grams make the estimate reproducible, particularly when natural foods vary in size.
MACROS
Carbohydrate, protein and fat explained
Protein
1.1 g per 100 g. From Lemons, raw, without peel.
Carbohydrate
9.32 g per 100 g. From Lemons, raw, without peel.
Fat
0.3 g per 100 g. From Lemons, raw, without peel.
MORE THAN CALORIES
Fibre, vitamins and minerals
One food does not need to provide every nutrient. These are the characteristics most useful for understanding where lemon fits in a varied eating pattern.
Vitamin C
53 mg per 100 g in the selected USDA record.
Potassium
138 mg per 100 g in the selected USDA record.
Calcium
26 mg per 100 g in the selected USDA record.
Folate
11 µg per 100 g in the selected USDA record.
FOOD STATE MATTERS
How preparation changes the nutrition estimate
A reliable calorie entry should describe the food you actually ate—not merely a food with a similar name.
Raw, without peel
Selected and only mapped lemon state.
Lemon juice
Not represented by the whole-fruit record.
Lemon peel or zest
Not represented because the selected description excludes peel.
Sweetened lemon products
Use a product or recipe-specific record rather than raw lemon.
PRACTICAL CONTEXT
How lemon can fit different goals
There is no universal “good” or “bad” food. Portion, frequency, the rest of the meal, preferences and individual health needs all matter.
Portion math
29 kcal per 100 g becomes 2 kcal for the 7 g example.
Fibre check
The selected record lists 2.8 g fibre per 100 g.
Protein check
The selected record lists 1.1 g protein per 100 g.
Best logging move
Match wedges, whole edible fruit or juice correctly, and add sugar or other ingredients separately.
QUALITY & SAFETY
How to choose, store and prepare it
Store
Keep whole lemons in a cool, dry place or chilled.
After opening or cutting
Cover cut lemon and keep it chilled.
Prepare
Rinse the outside before cutting or zesting.
Check before eating
Discard lemons with mould, leaking flesh or a fermented off-odour.
PHOTO LOGGING
How to log lemon more accurately
A food photo can suggest the ingredient, but it cannot always reveal exact weight, hidden oil or preparation details. These checks turn an image guess into a better estimate.
- 01
Match the exact reference state: Lemons, raw, without peel.
- 02
Use edible grams. Calories are scaled from the selected per-100-g record; named portions use weights stored in that same local USDA record.
- 03
Log oil, sauce, sweetener, salt and recipe ingredients separately.
- 04
Use a separate record when preparation changes the food state.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Lemon calorie and nutrition questions
How many calories are in 100 g of lemon?
29 kcal in the selected Lemons, raw, without peel record.
How much fibre is in lemon?
2.8 g per 100 g in the selected record.
Which lemon entry does this page use?
Lemons, raw, without peel. The preparation and edible state are part of the answer.
Does the selected record include lemon peel?
No. The selected description is raw lemon without peel.
How are the portion calories calculated?
Each portion is scaled from 29 kcal per 100 g. Named portion weights come from the selected source record.
KEEP EXPLORING
Related food guides
SOURCES & METHOD
Where these numbers come from
Lemons, raw, without peel, per 100 g edible portion. Numeric nutrition and portion claims use the selected local USDA record. Preparation notes cover the common USDA forms of this food; log added ingredients separately.
Open USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy record 167746 ↗Page reviewed 26 August 2026. We show the food state, gram basis and source record so readers can check the estimate instead of treating one number as universally exact.