Orange juice is one of my favorite morning rituals. Some people enjoy coffee, others are into tea, but my morning always starts with a glass of orange juice. I used to purchase store-bought orange juice until I realized how easy it is to make orange juice from scratch.
One problem I had when I began making orange juice at home was estimating how much juice was in one orange. After lots of experience, one orange has roughly ⅓ of a cup of juice. Depending on what type of orange you purchase, the volume of orange juice will change.
So, let’s jump into some other common questions people have about fresh-squeezed orange juice.
Is Orange Juice Good for You?
Orange juice, like other juices, is good for you when you drink it in moderation. Like other juices, the only problem with orange juice is the amount of sugar in each glass. Drinking too much can mean you surpass a normal sugar intake easily.
For pre-packaged, not from concentrate orange juice, the nutrition facts for 100 grams (3.5 ounces) are:
- Calories: 47
- Fat: 0.36 grams
- Carbohydrates: 10 grams
- Sugars: 8 grams
- Protein: 0.81 grams
- Calcium: 9 milligrams, 1% of recommended daily intake (RDI)
- Potassium: 183 milligrams, 5% of RDI
- Vitamin C: 30.5 milligrams, 30% of RDI
There are other nutrients in orange juice, but they’re present in small quantities. When you make fresh-squeezed orange juice, the results will be slightly different. But in general, the nutrition facts for different orange juices will be relatively similar.
As you can tell, orange juice is high in some nutrients while low in others. Orange juice is a reliable source of vitamin C and potassium. It’s also high in sugar, though. Since it has so much sugar, it can be unhealthy if you drink it in high volumes.
How Much Orange Juice Is Too Much?
In general, it’s best to limit yourself to no more than eight ounces of juice per day. Unlike when you eat a whole orange, orange juice has very limited amounts of fiber. That means you get all the sugar without the benefits fiber provides you.
That’s why it’s still preferable to eat whole fruits instead of drinking juice. That doesn’t mean juice is terrible for you, though. It simply means you should drink juice in moderation. Juice still provides you with other benefits, like vitamins and minerals.
So, as long as you drink orange juice in moderation, it’s not a problem. Many people enjoy a glass of orange juice with breakfast because of the vitamins and sugar content. High amounts of sugar give you a little boost, but without the aggressiveness of coffee or tea.
Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
You can make fresh-squeezed orange juice from almost any orange. Whether your favorite kind is the classic naval or the blood orange, you can juice it! When you use different types of oranges, you’ll get a different flavor, as well as slightly different amounts of juice.
The most widely used types of oranges for orange juice are:
- Pineapple orange
- Valencia orange
- Navel orange
- Blood orange
- Tangelo Oranges
Although these are the most widely used oranges, you can use any type of orange for orange juice. Different oranges give different levels of sweetness to your juice. Let’s go through these different varieties and their flavor profiles.
Pineapple Oranges
Pineapple oranges used to be the primary variety of oranges used in juicing. Pineapple oranges are medium-sized, and they’re round or oval with a bright orange color. Pineapple oranges have a sweet flavor and tons of juice.
The main downside, and the reason other oranges are supplanting them, is that pineapple oranges have many seeds. Seeds make the juicing process lengthier, especially if you’re using a mechanical juicer since you must remove the seeds. But they still make tasty juice!
Valencia Oranges
Valencia oranges are the most popular orange grown in Florida, the home of America’s second-largest orange crop. Valencia oranges are medium size, with a thin, easy-to-peel skin. Valencia oranges generally have a sweet taste.
Many people consider Valencia oranges to be the best oranges for juicing. The sweet taste is perfect for juicing, while the few seeds make it easy to juice without hassle. Not only that, but Valencia oranges are grown from March until September, so they’re almost always available.
Navel Oranges
Navel oranges are the second most popular type of orange for juicing. People immediately recognize navel oranges for their large size and their namesake navel indentation. Navel oranges have pale orange skin and have a mix of sweetness and sourness.
Navel oranges are a popular choice for juicing because they produce a lot of juice and have a more intricate flavor. Instead of only having sweet flavors, navel oranges are also known for their tartness. So, if you like a more sour juice, consider navel oranges.
Blood Oranges
Blood oranges aren’t the most common orange used in mass-produced oranges juices, but many at-home juicers enjoy the flavor and look. Blood oranges have a thick, pale orange skin that conceals a deep reddish-pink color on the inside.
Generally, blood oranges have a sweet flavor, but with some grapefruit and raspberry notes, too. The juice from a blood orange is usually red or reddish-purple in color. The interesting mix of flavors makes blood oranges a solid variety for juicing.
Tangelo Oranges
The least common variety of orange for juicing, tangelo oranges are still a great choice. Tangelo oranges are large, and their most noticeable feature is a protrusion that sticks out the top of the orange. Farmers made tangelos by crossing an orange with pomelo, a large citrus fruit.
Tangelo oranges are a great choice for at-home juicers because of their large quantities of juice. In general, one tangelo has around five ounces of juice, or double the amount in a navel orange. The only downside is their large number of seeds.
Pasteurized Orange Juice – What Is It and How Does It Work?
Pasteurization is a process that helps ensure food doesn’t spoil for an extended amount of time. You may have heard about pasteurized milk and cheese, but did you know many mass-produced brands of juice are pasteurized, too?
Although you can pasteurize your juice at home, your need to do so depends on how long you want it to stay good. I squeeze fresh orange juice every two days, which means I don’t need to worry about it spoiling. But if you’re worried about bacteria, you can still pasteurize.
Let’s go through the pasteurization process for orange juice and explain how it works to keep your juice fresh for long periods.
What Is Pasteurization?
In 1864, Louis Pasteur came up with a way to kill harmful bacteria in milk, which helped extend the shelf life of milk. Soon, as the success of this process was discovered, pasteurization became a common practice in many food packaging procedures.
How Does Pasteurization Work?
Pasteurization works by heating a liquid to a certain temperature and keeping it at that temperature for an extended length of time. In mass-production settings, there are two primary ways to pasteurize products.
The first way is called ‘batch pasteurization.’ Batch pasteurization requires the producer to heat the liquid to at least 145ºF for 30 minutes. The second type is called ‘high-temperature pasteurization.’ This method requires higher temperatures for only a few seconds.
If you decide to pasteurize orange juice, you’ll need a double boiler and a good thermometer. Start by boiling water and then place the container with the juice above it. Ensure it reaches at least 145ºF and stays at that temperature for 30 minutes.
How to Make Orange Juice – Quick and Easy
Now that you know almost everything you need to know about fresh-squeezed orange juice and how much juice is in one orange, we can discuss how to make super quick orange juice at home in two easy steps!
You will need the following tools and ingredients:
- Three or four oranges of your choosing (2.5 pounds)
- Citrus juicer
Optional:
- Blender or mechanical juicer
Step 1: Prepare the Oranges
Start by cutting the oranges in half. If you’re using a blender or mechanical juicer, you should peel the oranges, too.
You can remove the pith (the white tissue) from the orange if you like. Pith has a bitter flavor that many people don’t enjoy in their juice. It will also reduce the amount of pulp in your juice.
Next, remove any of the seeds you can see from the orange. Seeds will negatively impact the amount of juice each orange produces, as well as give your juice a weird flavor. It’s best to remove them before juicing.
Step 2: Juice
Using your citrus juicer, place half an orange in the compartment. Then, press down with force to squeeze out the juice. Rotate the orange a couple of times and repeat the process. You can reposition the orange if you think there’s more juice left inside.
Repeat the process with your orange halves. After you squeeze out all of the juice, you’ll be left with orange tissue in your citrus juicer. To add the pulp into your juice, you can spoon as much of that as you like.
Alternative: Use a Juicer or Blender
If you have a mechanical juicer or a blender, making orange juice is even easier. Once you finish peeling the oranges, cut them into small chunks.
If you’re using a blender, deposit all the chinks into the blender. Then, blend until the juice reaches a consistency you enjoy.
If you’re using a mechanical juicer, feed the chunks into the juicer chute a few chunks at a time. Repeat the process until you’ve juiced all the chunks.
What Is Pulp in Orange Juice – and Why Do Many Not Like It?
Pulp is one of the most controversial aspects of orange juice. Some people love it and can’t get enough, while others are disgusted by its presence in their juice. So what is pulp, and why do so many not like it?
Inside of oranges are thousands of little ‘sacks’ of juice that together make up an orange. Inside the sacks is juice, but the sacks themselves are made from a fibrous substance that keeps the juice in place.
When you juice an orange, the juice explodes from the sacks. The sacks are left behind. When the sacks are added back to the juice, that’s where pulp comes from.
Some people don’t like pulp in their juice. The most commonly cited reason for a dislike of pulp is the texture it provides the drink. Instead of a consistent texture, pulp gives orange juice a stringy, thick texture. Some people don’t enjoy the flavor of orange juice with pulp, either.
How Much Vitamin C in Orange Juice?
Vitamin C is one the most commonly given reasons why orange juice is a good drink choice. Vitamin C is the most prominent nutrient in orange juice, and it can help you achieve your recommended daily intake.
In one cup of orange juice, roughly eight ounces, there are 120 milligrams of vitamin C. The recommended daily intake of vitamin C is between 90 and 100 milligrams of vitamin C every day. So, one large glass of orange juice has enough vitamin C to keep you healthy.
Vitamin C is important to keep your body healthy and feeling good. A lack of vitamin C can cause:
- Anemia
- Decreased immune response
- Dry hair
- Easy bruising
- Gingivitis
- Nosebleeds
- Dry skin
- Painful joints
In severe cases, a lack of vitamin C can cause a condition called scurvy. Scurvy is a condition that develops when your body hasn’t been given any vitamin C. It generally occurs in older adults and those without the means to take care of themselves. It can cause death.
Wrapping Up
With all the important questions answered, this was everything you’d need to know about orange juice. So the only thing left to do is to get to juicing and exploring all the orange juice possibilities you and your friends and family can enjoy at any time!
