How to make orange juice the healthy way

By: Vegan Agility Team Last updated: December 6, 2020

Oranges are hands down one of the most delicious fruits to juice, a joint favorite alongside pineapples and apples. Oranges are packed with so many nutrients that it’s sometimes hard to believe there are so many nutritional benefits in something so tasty so knowing how to make orange juice with maximum nutrient retention is key.

Nutrition data per 1 cup of oranges:

• Macronutrients: Fat 0.2g, Carbohydrates 21.2g, Protein 1.7g
• Vitamins: Vitamin C 95.8mg – 106% DV, Vitamin B9(folate) 54mcg – 14% DV, Vitamin A 19.8mcg – 2% DV
• Minerals: Calcium 72mg – 6% DV, Potassium 325.8mg 7% DV, Magnesium 18mg – 4% DV

Health benefits of oranges

Frequently asked questions around how to make orange juice

Why juice oranges when I can simply buy orange juice from the supermarket?

Fresh orange juice and store-bought orange juice are worlds apart in not only flavor but nutritional properties. Prepacked often juice is usually loaded with preservatives or pasteurized to allow the juice to sit on store shelves for longer without going off. Heat pasteurization can breakdown the beneficial minerals and vitamins that makes oranges so healthy, which leaves you with a potentially nutrient-deficient orange juice. 

Fresh homemade orange juice is exactly that – Fresh! 

Juicing oranges at home is one of the best ways to consume a vast amount of beneficial nutrients in one glass of orange juice, especially if using a cold-pressed orange juicer, which will allow for maximum nutrient retention.

Do you need to peel your oranges before juicing?

• If you are using a manual or electric orange juicer, then there is no need to peel the orange skin. Simply cut the orange, and place the citrus half on the juicing cone, and either pull the lever in the case of a manual juicer or allow the electric juicer to spin.
• If you are using a juicer with an auger instead of a reamer, we advise peeling your oranges in advance since it won’t work well with unpeeled citrus halves.
• Although the orange peel does contain some beneficial nutrients like polyphenols, vitamin C, and fiber, the skin may have pesticides or fungicides sprayed on. Plus the orange peel doesn’t agree with everyone’s stomach, and the bitter taste tends to ruin the orange juice flavor.

Best kitchen tools to make the most nutrient dense orange juice

Electric orange juicer

For efficient orange juicing, it can be very beneficial to have a quality orange juicer to make the process quicker and easier, especially on your biceps and forearms 🙂

We recommend either the Breville BCP 600 juice press or the Aicok electric orange juicer since they are both simple to use, straightforward and efficient.

The old school method of juicing with continuous rotations of a half-cut orange using all the forearm power you can muster up is not the most fun way to make this delicious juice. Although, the major benefit is that you may end up with some toned arms and burn some extra calories in the process. If you prefer manual juicing for its cold pressing nutrient preservation properties, low noise output, and energy-saving capabilities then the Zulay manual orange juicer is a great option.

Alternative tools

Slow cold-pressed juicer 

When making orange juice you can juice the oranges with a slow masticating juicer like the omega nc900, but it will require the extra step of peeling the oranges before juicing. 

Fast juicer

Fast centrifugal juicers like the Breville juice fountain can also juice oranges when peeled but may struggle with some plant foods like leafy greens, which can limit how creative you can get with your orange juice recipes.

Blender

If choosing to use a blender, there are 2 extra steps required. You will first need to peel the oranges and secondly will need to sieve or strain the juice after blending to extract the pulp. A blender with a power output above 750 watts like the Nutri Ninja pro should allow for an efficient break down of the oranges while blending down the pulp which can either be filtered or left in the juice depending on preference..

How to make orange juice – Guide

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Fresh homemade orange juice recipe – how to

Delicious, fresh, homemade orange juice loaded with vitamin C to boost immunity

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Total Time10 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Drinks

Cuisine: fruit juice, Vegan juice

Keyword: immunity boost, Juices, orange

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 oranges

Equipment

• Citrus juicer
• Masticating juicer or Centrifugal juicer

Instructions

How to make orange juice in a juicer

• Soften the oranges for juicing

  Roll the oranges on a hard surface to slightly soften the skin making it easier to juice
• Prepare the oranges for your juicer type

  If using an electric citrus juicer: Slice your oranges in half so that they can sit comfortably on the juicers reamer

  If using a slow masticating juicer or fast centrifugal juicer: Peel the orange skinseparate into segments appropriate to fit in your juicer's feed chute
• Set up your kitchen tools

  Ensure you have enough space for your orange juicer

  Make sure all safety clamps and locks are active, and your juicer or blender is secure on your kitchen surface
• Begin juicing

  If using an electric juicer: Adjust your pulp settings to your desired amount (if your juicer has this feature)

  Place the unpeeled orange half onto the reamer and press down.

  Let the reamer continue to rotate until all juice and pulp is extracted.

  Continue replacing the orange halves with fresh ones until all oranges are juiced

  If using a slow masticating juicer or centrifugal juicer: Gradually place each orange segment into the juicer's feed chute. You can use the tamper that comes with the juicer to push the oranges through more easily

  Continue until all orange pieces are juiced, and all pulp is extracted.
• Serve and enjoy!

  It is best to drink your juice while it's fresh since nutrients will tend to degrade due to oxidation the longer they are left out.

How to make orange juice in a blender

• Soften the oranges for juicing

  Roll the oranges on a hard surface to slightly soften the skin making it easier to juice
• Prepare the oranges for your blender

  Peel the oranges removing all orange skin

  Separate into segments 
• Set up your kitchen tools

  Ensure you have enough space for your blender

  Make sure all safety clamps and locks are active, all parts are attached correctly and blender is secure on your kitchen surface
• Begin blending

  Place the orange segments into the blender's jug, making sure not to overfill it.
• Add water

  Add a small amount of water to make mixing easier for your blender and to prevent the blades from jamming.

  Blend until completely mixed.
• Pulp vs no pulp?

  If you prefer a pulp free orange juice then filter your blending mix through using a fine sieve or strainer to filter out all the pulp.

  If you enjoy pulp in your orange juice then leave as is
• Serve fresh and enjoy!

Key nutrients

Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Potassium: 474mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 590IU | Vitamin B6: 1mg | Vitamin C: 139mg | Vitamin E: 1mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 1mg | Magnesium: 26mg | Zinc: 1mg

The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on your ingredients and tools.

Want more recipes for your health journey?

Why not try out some of our alternative vegan juice recipes that use a blend of different fruits and vegetables to achieve a delicious yet healthy result. These recipes allow you to get a bit creative with your vegetable juicing while adding extra nutritional benefits that enhance the overall juice result.

• Incredible lemon and ginger cleanse recipe
• Amazing carrot and orange juice

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