What is Citric Acid?

There are several natural substances that people use in everyday life, in addition to the common use as food and drink. Citric acid is certainly one of these. Citric acid is a naturally part of citrus fruit such as lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit. In fact, citric acid is also found in a number of other fruits, such as blackberries, though it is found in higher concentrations in lemons and limes.

While it is obviously possible to get citric acid from these fresh fruits, human beings have also found a way to make this substance available in another form, for other uses. Citric acid can be purchased as a powder and is sometimes used as a flavoring/additive for Vitamin C supplements purchased at the store. This ingredient is also part of many household and industrial cleaners. It is not only good for cleaning it may also provide a pleasing aroma.

Why is it so Good?

One of the key benefits of citric acid as a basic substance is its ability to bond with other natural materials, such as some metals and some of the common minerals. This allows citric acid and these minerals to be combined and digested as dietary supplements. Calcium citrate is a good example of this successful combination.

Don’t count citric acid out as a good “tool” for tenderizing meat and for adding a bit of “bite” to drinks found on the grocery store shelf. If you buy a citrus-flavored candy you are probably getting your bitter, mouth-puckering taste from a man-made citric acid substance. Some candies do use natural citrus, however. But dietary uses aren’t the only place for citric acid. Experiments show that when combined with specific minerals, citric acid is an excellent water softener. There are other water-softening methods that also make our soaps and detergents work better.

What Else Does it Do?

In the 21st century, most people are aware of the presence of citric acid in candies, fruit-flavored drinks. Many people are even regular uses of cleaning products that make use of the amazing properties of this natural substance. But did you know that citric acid can also be used in human-cleaning products for aroma and to produce some bubbling sensation?

But there’s more! Manufacturers have made extensive use of natural and powder citric acids in health and beauty products. Natural citrus and Vitamin C have strong anti-oxidant powers so companies often include these ingredients in face creams and lotions. The citric acid helps keep the skin clean and can destroy some of the polluting substances in the air and water.

As you can see, citric acid is extremely useful. It’s a rather weak acid, so it’s also relatively harmless when used for human consumption and in healthy/beauty products. Citric acid may be one of the most versatile substances in nature. Add to this the fact that it is widely available in fruits and may be easily reproduced and you can see why it shows up in so many products.