When you’re looking for the best oranges to juice, it’s always important to consider which one produces the best quality, yield, as well as vitamins and nutrients. But with now over 600 varieties of oranges, it may get a bit hard to pick a good orange to juice.
Well, not all oranges are as citrusy as the others. They also vary in terms of sweetness and flavors. Some even possess more bitterness than sweetness. And I’ll walk you through picking (literally, if you may) the best oranges to throw in your juicer.
Why Juice Oranges?
A freshly squeezed orange juice is a nice way to quell your thirst. While tetra-packed orange juices are convenient go-to thirst quenchers, you won’t really get them as fresh. Store-bought orange juices are high in preservatives. This can deplete their nutritional benefits. It’s also difficult to produce pure juice for commercial reasons. There always has to be artificial flavors or sugar added to them.
Juicing oranges at home guarantees high-quality juice that’s both nutrient-dense and chemical-free. You’ll benefit more from the antioxidants, enzymes, vitamin C and A, and other nutrients found in fresh orange juice. Juicing these bright-colored citruses yourself provides all the benefits of consuming freshly-squeezed orange juice.
I would say there should be no excuse not to consider making your homemade orange juice now that there are so many economical juicers on sale. But you must keep track of how long fresh juice can last. Also, make sure to store it well.
Here Are the Best Oranges for Juicing
Oranges, just like any variety of fruits, come in various flavors and sizes. Here are some of the best oranges that you can juice at home for you and your family. For all seasons.
Valencia Oranges
Named after a city in Spain, Valencia oranges are available throughout the year. They have thin skin and have minimal seeds, making preparation easier. As well as allowing for optimum juice extraction. Commercial juice producers prefer these oranges because of their sweet flavor and high yield.
Valencia oranges are high in fiber and potassium, helping you fight against cancer. They are also favorable to heart health. You can store them longer in the fridge and they won’t get bitter and stay sweet longer — all thanks to their low Limonin content.
These oranges spend more months on the tree than Navel oranges, the reason why they have lower Limonin content. So, not only are you getting the best yield, flavor, and sweetness. But you’ll also get to store them longer for a refreshing summery orange juice drink.
Navel Oranges
You’ll easily recognize navel oranges due to their end’s resemblance to the human navel. Such oranges don’t have seeds, making a popular pick for juicing among many orange juice lovers. They are easy to peel and are widely available. And since they are popular and you can get them everywhere, they are the most often bought oranges for consumption.
Navel oranges are also among the cheapest oranges you can get. They are the ideal orange for juicing due to their large size and seedless quality which makes them a juicy option. And because there are no seeds and they are easy to peel, it’s an excellent choice for juicing that requires little preparation.
The main drawback is that they contain Limonin, a naturally occurring compound in the orange’s flesh. This makes them turn bitter over time when exposed to air. So, they are best consumed right away after juicing. Rather than keeping them in your fridge for a longer time. You wouldn’t want a glass of bitterness.
Blood Oranges
As its name suggests, Blood oranges are characterized by a dark red color resembling blood. They contain the highest antioxidants and are on the lower spectrum of acid content. You can choose from its subvarieties including Sanguigno, Moro, and Torocco.
Sanguigno is an acid-free sweet orange with pink flesh pigments, rich in lycopene and carotenoid. Moro is the most colorful of all the blood oranges. This is due to the presence of anthocyanin, which gives it its distinguishing flesh color and rind blush
Compared to a regular orange, Moro’s flavor is stronger and the scent is more powerful. It has a unique sweet flavor, with a tinge of raspberry. This type of blood orange is also more bitter than the Sanguigno and Torocco blood oranges.
Torocco has the highest vitamin C content. It has ruby red flesh with a deep orange pebbled skin of medium thickness and is easy to peel. The segments of Torocco blood oranges are tasty, melting, and sweet.
Overall, juicing blood oranges produces a sweet orange juice with a hint of sourness. The disadvantage is that these oranges are usually more expensive, but hey, they make eye-catching juices. And they possess a flavor explosion that other oranges lack.
Tangerines
Many mistake Tangerines for oranges, which are two types of citrus fruits. Tangerines are a first-degree cousin of clementine and are technically recognized as a subvariety of mandarin. What makes a tangerine different from clementine is that the latter is seedless, while tangerines, well, aren’t.
Oranges are larger and more tart. While tangerines are smaller, sweeter, and easier to skin. They’re fantastic for eating, baking, and cocktails, and of course, juicing. Tangerines have a strong flavor and are minimal in bitterness, making them ideal for juicing.
The problem is that they’re always unavailable so you’ll have to wait until late fall to early spring. And even if you find tangerines in its off-season, expect them to be at a high price tag. But, you’ll look forward to the high-quality juice they yield. Plus, they aid in weight loss.
Clementines
Clementines are a hybrid of a regular orange and a Mandarin orange that was developed in Algeria. They’re about the same size as a Mandarin orange but just a little smaller. Clementines are technically tangors, a mix between a willow-leaf mandarin orange and a sweet orange, which explains its honey-like sweet flavor and mild acidity.
Their delightful sweetness makes them a favorite juicing staple. Clementine oranges are seedless and are easy to peel due to their little segments. This makes them great if you want to eat an orange without having to pick the seeds out as you would with other oranges.
The bummer is their smaller size. So, if you need them stored in the fridge for the next day, you may want to get a lot of this sweet little goodness. They’re widely available from November through January, its peak season.
Tangelos
I don’t know about you, but whenever I look at a tangelo, I see a nipple. And I think this distinct feature sets them apart from other citruses. Tangelo is a hybrid of tangerine and pomelo, hence its name. This orange variety offers sweetness with a high yield.
You’ll get a slightly tarter tinge than other oranges, but the sweetness balances out the tartness. Tangelos could be the ideal orange variety if you love a little tartness in your juice. You can also choose from the two subvarieties of Tangelo: Honeybell and Orlando.
Also known as Minneola tangelos, Honeybells are typically the size of an adult fist. Honeybells have both sweetness and sourness that combine sweet mandarin and tart grapefruit.
Orlando tangelos are a very juicy sweetly tart orange. They have very few seeds and are easy to peel. The peel is of medium thickness and pebbly skin. After tasting its rich orange-colored segments, you’ll understand why it’s a staple.
Overall, tangelos are super juicy with a perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. They are a great source of vitamin A, which boosts eye health. You can also use them to replace mandarin oranges and sweet oranges.
Satsuma Oranges
If you want to create a glass of sweet orange juice, Satsuma oranges are yet another excellent choice. It’s a Japanese variety that is notable for its ease of peeling, sweetness, and lack of seeds, as well as its light, invigorating flavor.
Satsuma is fantastic for juicing, but it’s usually on the pricier side. Its little presence in the supermarket also makes this orange hard to score. And because it’s also smaller, so you’ll have to spend more to make a good quantity of juice. It’s abundant in soluble fiber, which helps to maintain cholesterol levels low.
Cara Cara Oranges
Caracara oranges are a Navel orange subvariety with rosy flesh. They are slightly sweeter and yield a large amount of juice that’s milder in acidity than the other orange varieties. Cara Cara oranges also have mild cranberry and cherry taste. And this flavor makes them unique.
Much like Navel oranges, they don’t have seeds. Making them a good choice for juicing and snacks. They are a great source of folate and an excellent choice to get a good amount of the antioxidants vitamin A and C. Such oranges are also high in lycopene, another potent antioxidant that contributes to their beautiful color.
Should You Include the Peel and Seeds?
Although blending the peels and seeds in the juice won’t hurt you, removing them results in a sweeter juice. Orange peels are high in nutrients, so it’s beneficial to get the most out of them. Adding some of the orange peels to your juice can help boost the nutritional content, though an excessive amount of peels can cause indigestion.
When it comes to adding seeds, I find it unnecessary to add them to your juice. Also, seeds can only make your drink less smooth. Assuming you don’t want to include the seeds in your juice, it will make sense to pick oranges with minimal to no seeds.
Ways To Juice Oranges
Since oranges have soft textures and juicy flesh, it will be easy to juice them. You can use either a manual juicer or an electric juicer or a blender.
Manual Juicing
Manually juicing your oranges preserves more nutrients and enzymes since they don’t require heat to work. To get the best yield, it entails squeezing and extracting juice from the pulp by rotating the lever of a manual juicer. Juicing oranges by hand is straightforward and requires little exertion. In addition, manual juicers are less expensive than electric juicer-blenders on the market.
Using a Juicer and Blender
Using an electric blender or juicer makes the juicing process speedier since it’s driven by electricity. After peeling and removing any seeds, you can then place them inside your electric juicer. Blenders can produce whole juice with pulp, which can be nutrient-dense. To obtain a purer juice, extract the pulp and get rid of it.
Cold-press Juicing
Due to the lack of heat required in the process, cold press juicing is probably the most widely stated kind of juicing. It’s regarded to be one of the best approaches when it comes to extracting oranges. This method doesn’t use excessive heat, preserving the essential nutrients in your juice.
Cold press juicers employ a hydraulic press to produce juice. The process can take longer than standard juicers. It may take longer and requires more effort. But still, it produces healthier juice without oxidizing the oranges.
What Is Limonin?
I’ve mentioned limonin a few times already, and you may be wondering what it is. Limonin is a compound found in the rinds of citrus fruits like lemons, limes, and oranges. But it’s particularly concentrated in orange peels.
Limonin is a phytonutrient with anti-cancer capabilities. As well as anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral properties. It makes up around 97 percent of the orange rind’s essential oils, which makes oranges a healthy source of health benefits.
However, this healthy compound can turn your juice bitter. That’s why it’s always best to consume your orange juice right away after juicing. If you want an orange juice drink that you can enjoy while having long conversations, I suggest you avoid limonin-filled citruses like the Navel oranges.
Varieties that stay longer on the tree like the Valencia oranges are less likely to turn bitter. This variety of orange produces juice drinks that you can store for a longer period. And it stays sweet without bitterness.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of orange is best for juicing?
Valencia oranges have thin skins and a few seeds and are praised for their juiciness. This makes them a staple among orange juice lovers. They are also available even off of the traditional citrus harvest.
What oranges make the sweetest juice?
Valencia oranges create the most delectable and refreshing orange juices with a nice balance of sweet and tart. They are ideal for juicing since they don’t turn bitter. Allowing you to store it and keep it cold and refreshing for consumption.
Should you peel oranges before juicing?
You may peel oranges before juicing. But since the fruits are commonly peeled before juicing or eating, you won’t reap all of its nutritional perks. You could juice the whole fruit with the skin in it for optimum benefits.
Is it better to eat an orange or drink the juice?
High-quality orange juice can be beneficial when consumed in moderation. But eating a whole orange would be a preferable option. Consuming oranges in their whole form is healthier than orange juice. Besides, juices are heavy in sugar and don’t fill you up as much as full fruit.
Conclusion
If you want to create a sweet orange juice, a Valencia orange would be a great option. For affordable oranges that are easy to peel, you can opt for Navel oranges. The Blood oranges have three varieties you can choose from to create a colorful glass of orange juice. While sweet Tangerines are readily available if you want sweet-tart orange juice.
Clementines are also seedless and easy to peel, making them a juicing staple. They also have a honey-like sweet flavor and mild acidity. Tangelos are great for their sweetness and high yield. They offer the perfect blend of sweetness and tartness.
Satsuma oranges are yet another excellent choice if you want a glass of sweet orange juice. It’s a Japanese variety in the Mandarin family, known for its sweetness and light, refreshing flavor. The Caracara oranges are a Navel orange subvariety with rosy flesh and are also great for juicing since they are seedless. You’ll have a unique orange juice with a mild cranberry and cherry flavor with Cara Cara.
You see, not all oranges are the same, and with lots of varieties grown and counting, you must pick only the most suitable fruit if you intend to create delicious orange juices.
