Whenever I visit my parents, we have an obligatory show-and-tell session: They show me the new floors in the basement, the new season of Survivor they’re watching, the new nightstand they thrifted for the guest room. So a few visits ago when my dad showed me the crystalized lemon packets his gym friend had put him on to, I thought nothing of it — that is, until I tried them for myself and proceeded to dissolve them in my water twice a day every day I was there. They sent me home with a zip-top bag full of packets of my own, and when I promptly drank my way through that supply, I went to Amazon and added a box to my cart.
What are these little packets that so instantly became integral to my life? They’re True Lemon Crystallized Lemon, which are essentially small envelopes filled with dehydrated lemon particles that promise to deliver the citrusy power of one lemon wedge to your glass of water. The only listed ingredients are crystallized lemon (citric acid, lemon oil, lemon juice, ascorbic acid) and organic evaporated cane juice, so while it’s not the exact same as squeezing fresh lemon juice into your cup, it’s pretty close.
Lemon water is one of my favorite beverages to drink throughout the day, so ideally I always have a lemon or few in my fridge. The thing is, lemons can dry up and go bad, and the cost of buying them so often can easily add up. These crystallized packets let me have the little luxury of lemon water every day (wonderful), while always eliminating the possibility of finding a forgotten, puckered-up lemon wedge in the back of my fridge (sad).
And taste-wise, they are delectable. I simply tear open a packet and tip the contents into a glass of cold water, sparkling water, or freshly boiled water (sometimes with a bit of honey), and cradle my cup with both hands to really relish the beverage. The powder is so fine, I don’t even need to stir it up, making it even quicker to make than a mug of tea. Especially in the winter, when all I want are London Fog lattes and cups of Sleepytime tea, this fresh lemon alternative is upping my water intake tenfold, which I know is making my dry winter skin happy.
I’ve grown so fond of True Lemon that I asked for a box for Christmas, and could not have been more thrilled to find a cardboard box of 500 packets under the tree. It’s currently selling for just under $22 on Amazon, which breaks down to about four cents a piece — a stellar steal for a delicious dopamine boost and well-hydrated winter. Not to mention, it has over 20,000 reviews with a near-five-star average.
Another nice perk of True Lemon is that the packets are so small — about the size of a matchbox, and as thick as a credit card — they’re excellent for taking on the go. Toss a couple in your bag when you’re on the way to the gym, office, or airport, and bring an extra along to give to your friend or rowmate. You might just introduce them to their favorite new thing, too.
Buy: True Citrus – True Lemon Crystallized Lemon, 64 Packets, $12.38
