We’ve all had our share of antioxidant-rich orange juice out of a box, but there’s nothing better than a fragrant explosion of fresh orange juice. When it comes to squeezing juice, not all oranges are created equal. Some, like the elusive orange bergamot, are too bitter to squeeze out the juice, and the sweetness and taste factors vary from species to species. Choosing them can be tricky, so we’ve rounded up our best oranges for juicing below and used them judged by their squeeze quality to help you decide which oranges to dip in your juicer.
Table Of Contents
1. Oranges from Valencia
These are the most popular oranges for squeezing. Valencia oranges spend several months longer on the tree than Navel oranges, giving them a low LARL. This means you get juice that tastes great and you can store it in the fridge without worrying about a bitter taste. Due to its popularity, you can easily find it on supermarket shelves.
2. Tangerines
Tangerines are citrus varieties with shorter seasons. They have a strong flavor and low bitterness and are a great choice for squeezing juices. They are only available from late fall to early spring, but the quality juices they produce are worth the wait.
3. Tangel Oranges
The juicy and delicious tangel has a convex navel and a deep orange color. Although tangerines are more acidic than other oranges, they are also much fresher and sweeter, making them a major competitor to making orange juice.
4. Satsuma oranges
This Japanese variety is very easy to peel, sweet and seedless, and has a mild and refreshing taste. They’re great for squeezing juice, but because of their small size (bigger than Clementine but smaller than Tangelo), you’ll have to pay more to get a decent serving of juice. They also tend to be more expensive.
5. Blood Oranges
This beautiful orange has a secret. If you slice it, you will find a striking ruby red flesh inside. Not only do they make juices that look unique, they also provide a flavor you don’t get from other types of citrus. The downside is that the price also tends to be more expensive.
6. Clementine Oranges
These smaller varieties of tangerines are great for breakfast, but they also make great juices with a slightly different flavor profile. However, due to their size, you will have to squeeze a lot of these together to get a decent amount to keep in the fridge.
The navel orange is the most popular citrus variety in the world. They are easy to peel, easily accessible and ideal for consumption. But belly-button oranges are picked, on average, two months after their peak LARL content, which can lead to bitterness when trying to batch juice for refrigerated storage. Navel orange juice is best if you drink it right away.
Benefits
Oranges are a good source of many vitamins and nutrients, and turning fresh oranges into juice allows you to enjoy and consume these vitamins and nutrients better.
In addition, you can save a lot of money by making your own orange juice at home, because the price of oranges is much lower than the price of real orange juice.
When you make fresh orange juice at home, you are actually drinking it straight from the source without compromising on its health benefits.
When bottled and canned orange juice is for sale, its nutritional content is often lower than when you make your own, and the juice often contains more sugar.
Oranges and fresh orange juice contain good amounts of vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, magnesium and antioxidants.
If you don’t want to eat sliced oranges, juicing is the perfect way to enjoy its nutrients and vitamins and the amazing taste of fresh orange juice in the morning!