Citric acid is found naturally in citrus fruits, especially lemons and limes. It’s what gives them their tart, sour taste.
A manufactured form of citric acid is commonly used as an additive in food, cleaning agents, and nutritional supplements.
However, this manufactured form differs from what’s found naturally in citrus fruits.
For this reason, you may wonder whether it’s good or bad for you.
This article explains the differences between natural and manufactured citric acid, and explores its benefits, uses, and safety.
What is citric acid?
Citric acid was first derived from lemon juice by a Swedish researcher in 1784 (1Trusted Source).
The odorless and colorless compound was produced from lemon juice until the early 1900s when researchers discovered that it could also be made from the black mold Aspergillus niger, which creates citric acid when it feeds on sugar (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source).
Because of its acidic, sour-tasting nature, citric acid is predominantly used as a flavoring and preserving agent, especially in soft drinks and candies.
It’s also used to stabilize or preserve medicines and as a disinfectant.
Natural food sources
Citrus fruits and their juices are the best natural sources of citric acid (3Trusted Source).
In fact, the word citric originates from the Latin word citrus (2Trusted Source).
Examples of citrus fruits include:
·lemons
·limes
·oranges
·grapefruits
·tangerines
·pomelos
Other fruits also contain citric acid but in lesser amounts. These include:
·pineapple
·strawberries
·raspberries
·cranberries
·cherries
·tomatoes
Beverages or food products that contain these fruits — such as ketchup in the case of tomatoes — also contain citric acid.
While not naturally occurring, citric acid is also a byproduct of cheese, wine, and sourdough bread production.
The citric acid listed in the ingredients of foods and supplements is manufactured — not what’s naturally found in citrus fruits (4Trusted Source).
This is because producing this additive from citrus fruits is too expensive, and the demand far exceeds the supply.
Health benefits and body uses
Citric acid has many impressive health benefits and functions.
Metabolizes energy
Citrate — a closely related molecule of citric acid — is the first molecule that forms during a process called the citric acid cycle.
Also known as the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) or Krebs cycle, these chemical reactions in your body help transform food into usable energy (11Trusted Source).
Humans and other organisms derive the majority of their energy from this cycle.
Enhances nutrient absorption
Supplemental minerals are available in a variety of forms.
But not all forms are created equal, as your body uses some more effectively.
Citric acid enhances the bioavailability of minerals, allowing your body to better absorb them (12, 13Trusted Source, 14Trusted Source).
For example, calcium citrate doesn’t require stomach acid for absorption. It also has fewer side effects — such as gas, bloating, or constipation — than another form called calcium carbonate (15Trusted Source, 16Trusted Source).
Thus, calcium citrate is a better option for people with less stomach acid, such as older adults.
Similarly, magnesium in the citrate form is absorbed more completely and more bioavailable than magnesium oxide and magnesium sulfate (17Trusted Source, 18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source).
May protect against kidney stones
Citric acid — in the form of potassium citrate — prevents new kidney stone formation and breaks apart those already formed (20Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source, 22Trusted Source).
Kidney stones are solid masses made of crystals that typically originate in your kidneys.
Citric acid protects against kidney stones by making your urine less favorable for the formation of stones (23Trusted Source).
Kidney stones are often treated with citric acid as potassium citrate. However, consuming foods high in this natural acid — like citrus fruits — can offer similar kidney-stone-preventing benefits (3Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source).
