The use of lemon and milk remains a widely discussed topic in many aspects of production. While you shouldn’t drink them together, they serve other functions such as the production of buttermilk for baking.
Lemon and dairy are also active ingredients in the production of cosmetic products like soaps, body lotions, and facial scrubs. Still, if they work well in creating these products, why are you advised to not drink them together?
This article helps you understand why you should not drink lemon and milk together, and also answers questions about their uses.
Can you drink milk with lemon?
It is not advisable to drink a mixture of acidic substances or fruits containing citrus with milk. When lemon juice and dairy get mixed together, the dairy coagulates and can lead to you experiencing heartburn, constipation, and gas.
Consuming milk alone takes longer to digest, hence, mixing it with an acidic substance like lemon juice is bound to keep it in your system for longer and upset your stomach.
How do you mix lemon and dairy without curdling?
To prevent curdling, avoid adding lemon to hot or warm dairy. Adding lemon juice to cold milk will prevent a reaction that will lead to curdling from occurring for a while. The reaction that occurs is usually what is responsible for making fresh cheese like paneer.
Hot milk or milk at room temperature will make it curdle immediately after lemon is added. Hence, the cold temperature is the determining factor on if it would curdle immediately or not. The colder the milk, the less likely for it to curdle.
Another way you can prevent curdling when adding lemon to milk is by raising the pH of the lemon juice. To raise the pH of lemon, simply add baking soda to it. This would neutralize the acidity of the lemon juice and bring it close to a neutral pH.
Once the acidity of the lemon juice has been almost neutralized, add it to the milk, Note that milk curdles at a pH of 4.6. Hence, adding citrus fruits like a lemon would only raise the acidity level of the milk.
Do lemon and milk work for skin whitening?
Yes, a mixture of lemon and milk works remarkably well for skin whitening as it serves as a natural bleach. It also becomes more effective when you add honey to the mix and make use of whole milk.
To enjoy the skin whitening properties of lemon and dairy, apply the mixture to your body and leave for about 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing it off. Lemon and milk also aid in reducing chafing as it helps to properly hydrate the skin.
Another combination of dairy with lemon that will provide great skin benefits includes turmeric and lemon. This mixture also helps in treating skin inflammations and acne.
The skin whitening effects of lemon and milk become visible in about three weeks to a month. For suitable results, it is recommended that you use raw milk.
Can you use lemon and dairy to make buttermilk?
Yes, you can use lemon and dairy to make buttermilk for your cooking/baking needs. Buttermilk is an essential ingredient used in most baking recipes (e.g pancakes) to help lighten the batter and make it tender.
In case you’re lacking the regular store-bought buttermilk, the closest substitute and solution would be to make a quick fix at home. Homemade buttermilk can quickly be made by mixing dairy with a spoonful of lemon juice.
Simply measure a cup of whole milk and add a full tablespoon of lemon juice to it then mix and let it stay for about 10 minutes. Your buttermilk is ready once the mixture becomes slightly thicker and begins to show small curdled chunks.
Although your homemade buttermilk will share some differences with the store-bought buttermilk in terms of thickness, it would still perform the same functions for your recipe.
SEE: Buttermilk vs Half and Half – Picking the Best Option for You
Can lemon and dairy make you sick?
Yes, the combination of lemon with any dairy (milk, cheese, or yogurt) can upset your stomach and make you sick.
Additionally, you will get sick from this mixture if you’re lactose intolerant as your body is unable to digest the lactose in the milk.
Taking this mixture can lead to diarrhea, vomiting, stomach upset, gas, cold, allergies, cough, and congestion.
SEE: Why Lactose-Free Milk Still Makes You Sick
Can you put lemon and milk in tea?
You should never add lemon to a tea that already contains cream or milk as it would raise the tea’s acidity and lead to curdling. You can however do this if the milk used for the tea is non-dairy milk like coconut or oat milk.
Plant-based milk is a great dairy alternative to acidic teas like green tea or black tea especially when you wish to add lemon to the mix. However, to properly enjoy your tea, here are tips on ingredients that work with tea types.
- Use milk for black teas as they work best with each other.
- Lemon improves the taste and health benefits of green tea especially when honey is added to the mix.
- Lemon also works well with herbal teas like peppermint, ginseng, chamomile, etc.
Just make sure you are not adding lemon and dairy together when making your tea.
SEE: What Makes The Panda Milk Tea So Unique
Can milk and lemon cure piles?
Many netizens suggest that taking milk with dairy can help stop the pain of piles. These claims suggest that taking half a glass of warm milk mixed with one lemon works wonders on piles. Pain is expected to be gone within 3 to 7 days of using this remedy.
However, there is no scientific study or research backing these claims that lemon and milk help treat hemorrhoids (piles). In fact, milk remains among certain foods to avoid when you have hemorrhoids as it has a tendency to cause constipation and diarrhea.
FAQs
Why does milk curdle when you add lemon juice?
When lemon is added to dairy, it forces a change in the pH levels of the dairy which leads to the casein protein molecules in the dairy attracting each other and coagulating (forming curdles). Milk’s pH is 6.8 while that of lemon is 3.8, hence, forcing the milk to be more acidic.
Are lemon and milk good for hair?
Yes, a lemon and milk mixture will work wonders for your hair as they possess a straightening and cleansing effect that helps make it glossy and radiant. Also, the use of non-dairy milk (coconut milk) with citrus fruits helps treat scalp conditions.
Are lemon and dairy good for the skin?
Yes, the mixture of milk and lemon for skin care can help make your skin flawless. This mixture when added with honey can also help treat acne and pimples.
Conclusion
While drinking lemon with dairy is not advisable and might upset your stomach, the mixture is remarkably great for the skin.
Lemon and milk are commonly used together because the acid in the lemon acts as a natural skin whitener and toner. The milk helps to soften the rough skin, providing a great amount of moisture and comfort.
Also, while they make a bad combination, they offer numerous health benefits when taken individually. Find out how much milk you should drink per day and the benefit it offers.
I hope you found this article helpful. Thanks for reading.
