Fermented Organic Lemons (My Daily Gut Reset Cure)
This isn’t just a recipe. This is medicine.
Functional food at its boldest.
And for me—this is what stopped the gout.
🍋 My Story: From Holiday Gout Attacks to Daily Relief
For years, I battled crippling gout attacks—the kind that flare up after an injury, or take you out during the holidays when food is rich, stress is high, and sleep is low.
If you know, you know: the stabbing pain, the swelling, the helplessness.
I tried everything—prescriptions, cherry extract, alkaline powders. Some helped.
But nothing truly worked… until I started fermenting organic lemons in their own juice.
This jar is now my non-negotiable.
Every morning I drink the brine with carbonated water and a pinch of baking soda.
Sometimes I sip it straight. Sometimes I blend the lemons into sauces.
But I never skip it.
And since making it part of my daily routine—I haven’t had a single attack.
🧠 Why Fermented Lemons Are a Gut Reset Powerhouse
- Natural probiotics: rebuild gut bacteria, especially after antibiotics, stress, alcohol, or sugar
- Enzymes + citric acid: aid digestion, boost bile flow, and support liver detox
- Flavonoids (like hesperidin): fight inflammation and oxidative stress
- Pectin (from the peel): feeds good bacteria and may lower cholesterol
- Vitamin C: immunity, skin repair, adrenal support
⚡ A Natural Alkalizer (That Actually Works)
Yes—lemons are acidic.
But when fermented and consumed with a pinch of baking soda or carbonated water, they become a powerful alkalizing agent in the body.
This matters because most modern bodies are:
- Too acidic (from sugar, meat, dairy, stress, and booze)
- Inflamed (hello joint pain, skin flare-ups, brain fog)
- Depleted (minerals, hydration, digestion)
This fermented lemon protocol helps:
- ✅ Balance pH and alkalize internal fluids
- ✅ Reduce uric acid buildup (gout killer)
- ✅ Calm inflammation
- ✅ Increase hydration and mineral uptake
- ✅ Support energy, clarity, and digestion—especially when fasting
🙅♂️ Not Preserved Lemons. Not Pickled. Fermented.
Most people confuse fermented lemons with preserved lemons.
But preserved lemons (salt-packed Moroccan style) are dead.
There’s no microbial activity, no probiotics, and they’re often overly salty.
This is different.
We ferment whole organic lemons in a live brine of organic lemon juice, salt, and spices for 30 days—letting natural lactobacillus take over.
It becomes cloudy, tangy, bright, and living.
And the transformation is wild.
🥣 Fermented Organic Lemons in Lemon Juice (Step-by-Step Recipe)
Ingredients
- 4-6 Organic Lemons (Must be Organic)
- 2-4 cups Organic Lemon Juice Not pasteurized, not from concentrate
- 1 tbsp Pure Sea Salt Per lemon
- 1 tsp coriander seed optional
- 1 tsp mustard seed optional
- 1 tsp black peppercorns optional
- 1 whole cinnamon stick optional
- 1-2 bay leaves optional
Method
- Scrub lemons with a mix of baking soda and salt under running water to remove any wax or residue. Rinse and pat dry.
- Quarter-slice lemons (leave base attached like a flower), or slice into full quarters or rounds.
- Generously salt each lemon on the inside of the cuts and let sit in jars for 30 minutes to release juices.
- Pack lemons tightly into the jar, alternating with spices if desired.
- Add optional spices (if using)
- Pour in freshly squeezed organic lemon juice until all lemons are fully submerged. Leave at least 1 inch of headspace. Or use bottled just make sure its not pasteurized and not from concentrate.
- Weigh down lemons using a fermentation weight, folded cabbage leaf, or lemon wedge to prevent floaters.
- Cover with a fermentation lid, loose cap, or cloth.
- ferment at room temperature (65–75°F) for 30 days.
- Check every few days: skim off any white film (kahm yeast), re-pack if lemons float, and smell for tangy citrus aroma.
- After 30 days, refrigerate. Flavor continues to develop over time. Keeps for 6-12+ months.
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!📥 Want More Fermentation Magic?
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- 🧠 The Fermentation Kickstart Pack – Core ratios, equipment, timelines & my top flavor templates
- 🌿 10 Flavor Templates – Plug-and-play ways to upgrade any ferment
- 🥄 The Real Food Flavor Bundle – Sauces, condiments & fermented boosters to level up everything you cook
- 💥 Fermentation Essentials Bundle – Includes my full setup, cheat sheets, and advanced ferments
👀 Just Getting Started?
Start here: My Viral 2-Step Pickle Method (10M+ Views) – A fast-track intro to fermentation that launched my content brand.
🔬 Ready to Heal Your Gut?
Explore the full protocol in The Fermented Reset: The Natural Way to Repair Your Gut — a 21-day food-as-medicine reset for deep healing.
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56 Responses
How much and how often do you take it?
During my 7 day gut reset, I take it every day. Otherwise a 2-3 times per week.
Just wondering if you keep the lemons after to use for culinary purposes and how you use the lemons juice (how much is a serving, do you blitz the whole lemons in with juice for example)?
Hi Wendy! Yes, I absolutely keep the lemons after fermentation — they’re packed with flavor and beneficial compounds. Once fermented, the lemons become soft, slightly tangy, and deeply savory. You can slice or blend them into sauces, dressings, dips, or even use them to flavor roasted veggies and fish.
As for the juice, I typically start with 1–2 tablespoons first thing in the morning mixed with water. It’s a potent tonic, so a little goes a long way. You can blitz the whole lemon (peel and all) with some brine for a bold, zesty sauce — just make sure to remove seeds for smoother texture.
Let me know if you try it — the flavor transformation is wild!
Helped My gout in 1 day
Do you burp daily or at all?
I use a loose tightened lid
After the 30 day ferment, can I strain the juice and place in a seprate jar in the fridge? Could I also use that strained lemons and spices to start another fermentation?
No need to strain. And no, you need new everything to start a new batch. Otherwise risk of mold go up a lot.
I have a question, should I be sterilizing the jar, I don’t want to worry about botulism later on.
No need. Just a good wash. Botulism is extremely rare from fermentation. Like 8 cases a year worldwide, if that.
Maybe juice the leftover lemons if you like juicing..thanks been fermenting food all my life and just seeing this one.
Thanks for stopping by. I usually blend the entire thing together and use that on everything.
Can you drink it while it’s fermenting?
Sure! But be careful not to contaminate the jar!
I seen in your videos you probably was drinking this with sparkling water is that the case? If not how are you recommending you take this ?
I drink it with 1/8th tsp baking soda + sparkling water. Regular warm water works just as well.
Hey, what size of a jar is that? Thanks for the recipe, looks like good stuff. 🙂
In the video I use a 64oz jar.
This is really good. Most people suffer from lots of stomach problems and spend hell of money without any positive results. Fermented foods have been potent remedies in ancient traditions. Here’s a banker recipe to bring an end to the suffering. Bravo!!!
Tell me Dave can I keep the lemons in a jar out of the fridge or is the fridge step required? Ideally I d like to bottle and ferment but can process be extended and if so for how long. I m after doing this in a holiday home where I have organic lemons growing freely, what other suggestions would you suggest in the storeage of lemons for later use?
To keep them safe, I suggest the fridge!
Hey David, thanks for sharing.
I tried the recipe, but after about 2 weeks it smelled like alcohol.
The lid always covered the lemons, and I also skimmed of the white film two times.
Any tips so my next batch will be successful?
Sorry to hear that. Was the lid on tight? If you have pics of it, or the detailed process you used to make them, email me at david@dishbydavid.com and I will walk you through it in greater detail.
Hello we live in a tropical climate, how do you suggest to keep the room temperature at 18C/65-75F?
Thank you
If the temperature is higher, it will ferment quicker. I do suggest keeping it in a dark place.
Hi David. Thanks for the easy to follow recipe – I’m looking forward to trying it. I have 2 questions: 1) What size mason jar do you use for this? and 2) I noticed you drink carbonated water with the brine. Should that always be plain sparkling water/ice, or can you use a sugar free variety with a flavor like LaCroix, Bubly or Sparkling Ice? Clearly all this is new to me and I’m working on the assumption that the fermented lemons might be very tart, but mixing it with a milder flavor might make it taste better.
In the recipe I use a 64oz jar. I drink it with 1/8th tsp baking soda + sparkling water. Regular warm water works just as well.
Yes, you certainly can drink it with an essences sparkling water, such as La Croix. I’ve added mine to the Lemoncello flavor, as my jug of good drinking water was empty and all I had on hand at the moment was a variety pack. But when the lemons are fermented, the tang becomes somewhat mellower yet the flavor remains intense and becomes more complex so that it won’t make a difference if the sparkling water is flavored or not and with a pinch of baking soda in a plain warm water the effect will also be nice. Just be creative &have fun trying it out in different ways to your liking💛💖!
Have you ever experimented with baking spice flavours (cinnamon with allspice, clove, or star anise etc) in lieu of savoury ones (mustard, coriander etc). I admit, the thought of mixing mustard seed with cinnamon flavours seems odd to me, but not I obviously have not tried this yet so am curious what this tastes like and whether you have experimented with other combinations!
Hey Sara! Great question — and yes, absolutely. I’ve played with baking-style spice blends like cinnamon, clove, and star anise, and they work beautifully with the lemons — the flavor leans more toward spiced marmalade than savory pickle. I usually skip the mustard or coriander in that case and keep it warm, aromatic, and citrusy. It’s a totally different vibe, but delicious! 🍋
Halo, can i use a bigger bottle? Say like a one litre?
Hey Olga — absolutely! You can go bigger or smaller — a 1-liter bottle works perfectly.
Smaller jars are just a bit easier to manage, especially on your first few batches, but size doesn’t affect the ferment itself as long as everything stays submerged under the brine.
Go with whatever fits comfortably in your space — the microbes don’t mind at all. 😉
Stay salty,
David
How much of the lemon juice brine do you drink at a time?
1-2 tablespoons diluted with warm water + 1/8 tsp baking soda.
Hello, would I be able to add ginger to the recipe?
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Hello, would I be able to add ginger to the recipe?
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Hey RP — absolutely, ginger works beautifully with this recipe! It adds warmth, a little spice, and an extra probiotic boost.
Just slice a few thin pieces and tuck them between the lemons before adding your brine — it’ll infuse perfectly over time.
Stay salty,
David
what does it taste like
Like a salty lemon
How do I know the juice is safe to consume, I don’t want to get sick.
If your lemons stayed submerged in the brine, smell fresh (like bright citrus and light tang), and don’t show any fuzzy mold, the juice is perfectly safe — and actually one of the most probiotic-rich parts of the ferment.
It should never smell rotten, yeasty, or putrid — if it does, toss it. But a clean, salty-lemon aroma means it’s alive and ready.
Hey David!
Thanks a lot for the recipe, it sounds lovely and I’ll surely make it soon, I wonder, would it help with candida?
Fermented foods like these lemons can help support a balanced gut microbiome, which plays a big role in keeping things like candida in check — but they’re not a medical treatment. Think of it more as creating the right environment in your gut for balance and resilience over time.
Start with small amounts (even just a spoon of the brine or a piece of lemon daily) and listen to your body — most people notice better digestion and energy pretty quickly.
Where do you find organic, unpasteurized lemon juice?
a lot of people came to me with the same issue so I’m actually filming a new version that doesn’t need any bottled juice at all. The lemons ferment entirely in their own juice. Coming soon! 🍋
David, once you refrigerate, you leave the lemons and the spices in the jar or do you strain them and just refrigerate the brine? I’m confused.
You don’t need to strain them
Hi I noticed you put some lemon juice from a bottle in there to cover the lemons, do you have a brand of bottled lemon juice that you suggest?
Hey Mel! Most bottled lemon juice is pasteurized, so it’s tough to find a truly raw option. My local supermarket juices and sells fresh lemon juice, which works great — a lot of people came to me with the same issue so I’m actually filming a new version that doesn’t need any bottled juice at all. The lemons ferment entirely in their own juice. Coming soon! 🍋
What brand of lemon juice do you use?
Can you give me a lead for finding the right equipment?
I have the equipment for sour kraut and pickle but would like a new set for thjis.
Thanks
Gerry
Hey Gerry! Most bottled options are pasteurized — my local supermarket actually juices and sells fresh lemon juice, which works great. I’m also filming a new version that skips bottled juice completely — the lemons ferment in their own juice. Coming soon!
For the equipment all you really need is a jar and lid and possibly a weight. If you want to be fancy, grab this kit – https://amzn.to/4hlOKub
Lemon
Hey David! Great content! For the additional lemon juice what brand do you use please? As moat of them are pasteurised. Like I messaged Biona and theirs is organic but for safety reason has to be pasteurised. Any tips please? Thanks a lot
Hey Kinga! You’re totally right — most bottled lemon juice has to be pasteurized for food safety, which is why it’s so hard to find a truly raw, organic version.
That’s actually why I’ve just developed a new version of the recipe — no extra juice needed. The lemons ferment entirely in their own juice after a light smash-and-salt process, so it’s cleaner, simpler, and still completely safe.
I’m filming the updated method right now — video + full recipe coming soon! 🍋
Stay tuned, you’ll love this one.
Thanks David! 😊 I sweezed the f… out of my wrists hahaha I had the lemons and some of them started to go bad and the rest was rock hard of course so I had to start. I actually topped it up with a little filtered water at the end. Only about 1/4 so fingers crossed. Will check back in a mounth. Also I had a clip jar so I guess I will have to burp it every now and then 😅
Find non-pasteurized lemon juice besides squeezing a ton of lemons to get 2 to 4 cups