Best Oranges for Juicing

What are the best oranges for juicing? Not all varieties of oranges are fit for it. And having processed orange juice is enjoyable, and still very healthy. However, it is nowhere near the delight of squeezing fresh oranges and experiencing the pure, pulpy taste.

When you are choosing an orange specifically for juicing, there are factors to consider. These include:

• Taste (sweetness, and sourness)
• Ease of juicing (this is also impacted by the quality of your juicer)
• Availability 

For example, the Bergamot orange is so bitter. You would hardly get much joy out of squeezing it in a juicer. Oooh! And there are plenty of other great options.

It can be quite difficult to know which oranges to choose for your juicer. You’ll want to enjoy the many benefits of juicing. Especially the health benefits. 

In this article, we are going to talk about the best varieties of oranges that you can employ for your juicer. And as with most things juicing, variety is king!

Best Kinds / Types of Oranges for Juicing

While choosing a variety of oranges for juicing, you have to consider a lot of factors as there are many different types to choose from. You have to think about how do you want it to taste, how much sweetness do you want, etc. (1)

You might also consider whether you want a juice with seeds or no seeds. Also, check whether they are available at your location or you have to make special arrangements to get them. You can also check whether peeling their skin is easy or cumbersome.

Having considered all these parameters, here are some of the best different kinds of oranges for juicing:

Navels

Navel oranges are arguably the world’s most in-demand variety. They are the most widely available, convenient to peel, and also have great taste. They are affordably priced, and the flavor is sweet but not so sweet that it becomes a problem.

The one tip to follow while using navel oranges in the juicer is that you should drink the juice immediately after you prepare it. This is because of the high quantities of limonin in it (see bottom of post). If you leave it in your refrigerator for too long, the limonin will get exposed to the air and quickly make the juice bitter.

Clementine

Clementine oranges are extremely small in size; hence you need a lot of them to prepare juice. The good news is that they are readily available and also have great taste. They are also seedless and can be peeled quite conveniently. 

Clementine oranges are a great option as a snack as well as for juicing purposes. They can also be used for mixing with any other type of smoothie or shake that you so desire. I use this type of orange daily because it adds a sweet flavor to my favorite morning meal replacement shake that I drink each morning.

Valencia Oranges

If you are unable to find navel oranges because it isn’t their season, then a delicious alternative is to go for Valencia Oranges. They do not contain much limonin. Hence you can prepare your juice and store it for as long as you want. The skin of Valencia oranges is thinner compared to the other varieties, and they have seeds. But they are also highly juicy and tastes extremely good.

Blood Oranges

Blood oranges have a rubescent red color, and each blood orange produces a high quantity of juice. They are easy to peel, have fewer seeds, and produce a juice that looks unique and tastes unique. 

However, blood oranges are not as readily available and are considerably expensive. But if you are willing to spare the expense, then blood oranges will make the perfect juice for events like a friends’ get-together.  

Cara Cara Oranges

Cara cara oranges are a variety of Navel oranges but have a reddish-colored interior. They also taste comparatively sweeter. These oranges are seedless and possess a unique taste, something akin to the flavor of cranberry or cherry. They are also highly juicy and could be a good option if you want to try an unconventional option for your juice.

Satsuma

Satsuma is a seasonal variety of oranges found in Japan. They are seedless, can be peeled with ease, and produce a lot of juice. But they are smaller in size like the Clementine oranges; hence you need a lot of Satsuma oranges to make juice. Satsuma oranges are also not easily available and can be quite expensive.

Tangelo

Tangelos stand out by their rich orange color and tart taste. They are highly juicy, tastes sweet, and also quite affordable, making them a solid option as oranges for juicing.

Tangerine

Tangerine oranges have a shorter season compared to the other varieties; hence they really are a rare delight. But they make up for their scarce availability with their delicious taste. If you want to get tangerine oranges for your juicer, you would have to wait for the brief window between the end of fall and the onset of spring. Considering the quality of their juice, the wait will be well worth it.

Health Benefits of Freshly Prepared Orange Juice

Are you banking on your orange juice to provide you with health benefits? Then it’s much better to rely on your own juicer than processed juice in cartons. 

Freshly prepared orange juice has the following health benefits:

• It is rich in several nutrients that are essential for the human body. It has abundant Vitamin C, which is a strong anti-oxidant and also helps in strengthening your bones. Orange juice also contains folate, which synthesizes DNA in the body. Other important nutrients in orange juice are carbohydrates, magnesium, and potassium. (2)
• Orange juice also contains high amounts of flavonoids. These protect the body against various health conditions like heart diseases, high blood sugar, and cancer.
• Orange juice is great for your kidney. It makes your urine more alkaline which reduces the risk of developing kidney stones.
• Orange juice boosts the immunity of your body, protects you from seasonal diseases like the Flu, and also has great benefits for your skin. The high amount of Vitamin C in orange juices will give you vibrant skin, free of wrinkles and blemishes. Of course, you need to drink it regularly.

Can You Mix Orange Juice with Protein Powder?

Yes, you can mix orange juice with protein powder. This will result in an extremely powerful drink. It can serve as a nutritious replacement for your meals or as a recovery drink after an intense workout session.

Nutritional Value

Orange juice mixed with protein powder is extremely rich in nutrients. If we take a cup of freshly prepared orange juice, on average, it contains 112 calories and 26 grams of carbohydrates, but very little fat.

Similarly, a typical scoop of whey protein powder, weighing 33 grams, contains 23 grams of protein and 5 grams of carbohydrate, the calorie content being a decent 112 calories. If you mix two items with such high nutritional value, it’s obvious that you will get a drink with a lot of health benefits.

Protein Shake for Athletes

For weightlifters and people who do extreme physical activity regularly, orange juice mixed with protein powder can be a decent workout drink. Let’s consider this shake recipe of orange juice, whey protein powder, and fish oil.

The drink takes less than one minute to make and has perfectly balanced quantities of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Orange juice delivers nutrients and minerals that your body can digest easily. On the other hand, protein powder delivers the requisite protein needed to build muscle mass and general growth of your body.

There are also high quantities of Omega-3s in this drink. This is coming from the fish oil, which is rich in healthy fat. It can potentially speed up your recovery from a, particularly stressful workout. The drink is a versatile option because you can take it anytime, in the morning, between meals, or after a workout session.

If you are a fitness aficionado looking to augment your rigorous exercise schedule with a healthy drink that will build your muscles, boost your energy, and keep your body healthy, then a protein shake built from orange juice is probably your best bet.  

Alternative Drinks

If you do not like this particular recipe, then there’s another option that is probably more delicious. You can mix freshly prepared orange juice with protein powder. 

Instead of fish oil, you add a banana and a few tablespoons of peanut butter, depending on your taste preference. This drink has the added fibers from bananas which are excellent for the digestive system and the healthy fat from peanut butter.

Adding banana and peanut butter gives 300 more calories to the drink, which means that you can take it as a meal replacement instead of just a delicious snack.

Best Juicer for Oranges and Orange Peels

Of course a big part of this process is having an effective juicer! Without a heavy duty, effective juicer you just can’t realize the full benefits of juicing with oranges. So make sure you know the best juicer for oranges before starting the process.

It needs to be heavy duty, as the orange peels can be gritty and hard to effectively juice.

And celery has much better throughput, and click to see the best juicer for celery.

Final Thoughts

To conclude, you can make a great orange juice for every variety of oranges mentioned in this article. But the one you eventually choose will depend on factors like availability, your personal taste, and price. If you are open to new possibilities, you can also try mixing two or more different varieties to produce juices with unique tastes.  

And when juicing, it’s best to include a wide variety of fruits and vegetables for optimal effect. This includes leafy greens. 

Juicing is also great when you need a good cleanse to clean out your digestive system.

We love Breville juicers, and having tried more than ten brands of juicers over the years, we know what to look for! And so when we recommend centrifugal juicers for tough fruits and veggies, rest assured that we’ve been there and done that.

Click to return to juicing.