Lemon Zest vs. Orange Juice

Nutrition comparison of Lemon Zest and Orange Juice


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of lemon zest versus orange juice (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in lemon zest and orange juice:

  • Both lemon zest and orange juice are high in Vitamin C.
  • Lemon zest has more riboflavin and Vitamin B6, however, orange juice contains more folate.
  • Lemon zest is an excellent source of calcium and dietary fiber.
Detailed nutritional comparison of lemon zest and orange juice is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Lemon Zest (Lemon peel, raw) and Orange Juice (Orange juice, raw (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Lemon Zest src
Image of Orange Juice src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Lemon zest and orange juice contain similar amounts of calories - lemon zest has 47 calories per 100 grams and orange juice has 45 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, lemon zest is similar to orange juice for protein, carbs and fat. Lemon zest has a macronutrient ratio of 8:88:4 and for orange juice, 6:90:4 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Lemon Zest Orange Juice
Protein 8% 6%
Carbohydrates 88% 90%
Fat 4% 4%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Lemon zest and orange juice contain similar amounts of carbs - lemon zest has 16g of total carbs per 100 grams and orange juice has 10.4g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Lemon zest is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 52 times more dietary fiber than orange juice - lemon zest has 10.6g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and orange juice has 0.2g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Lemon zest has 50% less sugar than orange juice - lemon zest has 4.2g of sugar per 100 grams and orange juice has 8.4g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Lemon zest and orange juice contain similar amounts of protein - lemon zest has 1.5g of protein per 100 grams and orange juice has 0.7g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both lemon zest and orange juice are low in saturated fat - lemon zest has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and orange juice has 0.02g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Both lemon zest and orange juice are high in Vitamin C. Lemon zest has 158% more Vitamin C than orange juice - lemon zest has 129mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and orange juice has 50mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Lemon zest and orange juice contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - lemon zest has 3ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and orange juice has 10ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Lemon zest and orange juice contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - lemon zest has 0.25mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and orange juice has 0.04mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Orange juice and lemon zest contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - orange juice has 0.1ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and lemon zest does not contain significant amounts.

The B Vitamins

Lemon zest has more riboflavin and Vitamin B6, however, orange juice contains more folate. Both lemon zest and orange juice contain significant amounts of thiamin, niacin and pantothenic acid.

Lemon Zest Orange Juice
Thiamin 0.06 MG 0.09 MG
Riboflavin 0.08 MG 0.03 MG
Niacin 0.4 MG 0.4 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.319 MG 0.19 MG
Vitamin B6 0.172 MG 0.04 MG
Folate 13 UG 30 UG

Minerals

calcium

Lemon zest is an excellent source of calcium and it has 11 times more calcium than orange juice - lemon zest has 134mg of calcium per 100 grams and orange juice has 11mg of calcium.

iron

Lemon zest has 300% more iron than orange juice - lemon zest has 0.8mg of iron per 100 grams and orange juice has 0.2mg of iron.

potassium

Lemon zest and orange juice contain similar amounts of potassium - lemon zest has 160mg of potassium per 100 grams and orange juice has 200mg of potassium.

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients

carotenoids

Carotenoids are micronutrients commonly found in plants and some animal products. An example is beta-carotene, the notable carotenoid which is a popular source of Vitamin A.[4][5]

For specific types of carotenoids, both lemon zest and orange juice contain small amounts of alpha-carotene.

Lemon Zest Orange Juice
beta-carotene 7 UG 33 UG
alpha-carotene 1 UG 6 UG
lutein + zeaxanthin 18 UG 115 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, lemon zest has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than orange juice per 100 grams.

Lemon Zest Orange Juice
alpha linoleic acid 0.026 G 0.011 G
Total 0.026 G 0.011 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, lemon zest has more linoleic acid than orange juice per 100 grams.

Lemon Zest Orange Juice
linoleic acid 0.063 G 0.029 G
Total 0.063 G 0.029 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).

You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Lemon Zest or Orange Juice .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Lemon Zest (Lemon peel, raw) and Orange Juice (Orange juice, raw (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)) .

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FAQ

Does lemon zest or orange juice contain more calories in 100 grams?
Lemon zest and orange juice contain similar amounts of calories - lemon zest has 47 calories in 100g and orange juice has 45 calories.

Does lemon zest or orange juice have more carbohydrates?
By weight, lemon zest and orange juice contain similar amounts of carbs - lemon zest has 16g of carbs for 100g and orange juice has 10.4g of carbohydrates.

Does lemon zest or orange juice contain more calcium?
Lemon zest is a rich source of calcium and it has 11 times more calcium than orange juice - lemon zest has 134mg of calcium in 100 grams and orange juice has 11mg of calcium.