Homemade orange juice brings back great memories of my childhood cooking experiments. Fresh orange juice was one of the first fruit juices I made on my own. Common, it’s the easiest juice to make. Just squeeze the heck out of sweet oranges and enjoy, no sugar added. This is a very easy recipe for orange juice anyone can make, even store bought orange juice brands can’t compare. Keen? Let’s get to the easiest juice recipe the planet has to offer.

Orange juice in a swing bottle, a glass cup, an orange fruit sliced in half

Table of Contents

1 The making of Orange juice
2 Brands of orange juice
3 How to make homemade orange juice
4 How to wash oranges.
5 How to peel oranges and how to cut them.
6 Benefits of Oranges (Orange juice)
7 Types of oranges. What is the best one for juice?
8 How Many calories in fresh orange juice
9 Other homemade fruit juice recipes
10 Homemade Orange Juice

The making of Orange juice

Sounds like the title of a movie right? Well this post is all about one of the most popular fruit juice recipes; Orange juice.

Making homemade fruit juices is one of my favorite things to do. Not just for the various health benefits of fruit juices but because it’s so easy and fun to make. It’s process is kind of therapeutic in my opinion. You get to become the manufacturer of some cool juice.

Brands of orange juice

Before we get to this orange juice recipe, what are your favorite brands of store bought orange juice? Back home in Nigeria Chivita Orange juice was it for me.

Over here in the states, there is Tropicana, Simply Orange, Florida Naturals and lots more. Whenever I get the chance I love to make my own juice from scratch.

I am sharing this recipe as a reminder that you can always make your own homemade juice whenever you choose to and by doing so you get the bonus of knowing exactly what’s in it.

a bottle of homemade orange juice with an empty glass by the side and half an orange on the other side

How to make homemade orange juice

*this is an overview with step by step pictures, full recipe and instructions can be found at the bottom of this post.

Pic 1-3; wash your oranges (more on those below) slice this into two halves, squeeze using a citrus juicer, (this one is similar to mine) turn transfer into a clean glass if you are drinking immediately or bottle or jug and let it chill for least an hour to enjoy it cold.

collage showing steps to making orange juice — Step by step picture on how to make orange juice

How to wash oranges.

How to wash oranges? Yeah this is one thing we overlook most of the time especially if we don’t intend to use the rind of that orange. Today, because of the current situation of the world, washing oranges before use has become very important.

I am not talking of just washing oranges with salt and water or vinegar, I am taking of washing them in a bowl of soapy water with a sponge.

Soak oranges or any citrus fruits in warm lightly soapy water ( dish liquid is fine) for about a minute.
Scrub the fruits thoroughly with a sponge.
Rinse out the soap completely and let it dry on the counter or pat dry with a cloth or paper towel if using immediately.

Irrespective of what you intend to use your oranges for, make sure you wash them before peeling or cutting.

How to peel oranges and how to cut them.

How you peel oranges and how you cut them depends on what you want to use the oranges for. The way oranges are peeled for fruit salads will differ from when you want to make fruit juices and from when you simply want to suck on it.

If you are going to juice the oranges, make a fruit tray or cut into quarters or wedges (see orange wedges pictured in the linked post) or slices, you won’t need to peel it. You peel oranges when you need to suck on them or makes a fruit salad.

A centered plate of pancakes, topped with butter and a side of grapes, surrounded by a glass of juice, slices of orange, a bottle of maple syrup and a bottle of milk

Benefits of Oranges (Orange juice)

There are various health benefits of Oranges. I will be listing them below.

Oranges are a good source of vitamins and minerals. Topping that list is Vit C. It also contains thiamin a B vitamin, folates and potassium.
Oranges are rich in fiber, which means they improve digestive health.To get the best out of the fiber in oranges eat fresh or oranges after peeling which includes the pulp etc. freshly squeezed orange juice may not have a lot of fiber.
Like other citrus fruits, it contains citrus acid which is contributes to its sour taste. Research says citric acid may help to prevent kidney stone formation
May prevent Anemia; the citric acid and Vitamin C contents can help increase absorption of iron from the digestive tract. Therefore taken with iron rich foods like green veggies etc can help prevent anaemia

Types of oranges. What is the best one for juice?

There are different types of oranges.

Valencia Orange
Navel Orange
Tangelo (a hybrid of Mandarin orange and pomelo)
Cara Cara orange or Pink navel orange
Blood orange
Lima orange
Bitter Orange
Bergamot orange.

All the above listed types of orange cash be used to make homemade juice except the last two; Bitter orange and Bergamot orange.

2 plates of pancakes, close short of grapes, bottles of orange juice, milk, maple syrup in the background

How long does fresh orange juice last. How to store.

Fresh orange juice is best taken fresh. It will remain fresh in a swing bottle or jug with lid for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Can be frozen for up to 3 months.

When you put freshly squeezed juice in the fridge, after a few hours you will notice the liquid separates. Simply Shake before serving.

How Many calories in fresh orange juice

One small orange has 45 calories. But unfortunately one small orange won’t make a cup of juice. Orange is a high carb fruit. Though it’s healthy it should be consumed with moderation.

That is another reason to make homemade juices so you can control the ingredients that go into your juice.

This homemade orange juice has 259 calories per serving and serves 4 people.

Other homemade fruit juice recipes

Mango juice
Pineapple juice
Watermelon juice
Strawberry lemonade

What’s your favorite homemade juice? Let me know in the comments. Did you find this post helpful? Share your experience by sharing the link to this post with Family and friends and in your favorite Facebook group. Please stay safe. Maintain social distancing.

Love,

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