The best oranges for juicing are Valencias. They’re the juiciest, they’re sweet with a little tartness, and, unlike navels, their juice doesn’t turn bitter after an hour. Navel oranges are fine if you drink the juice immediately, but they contain a compound called limonin that makes stored navel juice bitter.
Blood oranges make a beautiful, berry-tinged juice. Cara Caras are sweet and low-acid. Mandarins and clementines juice well but you need a lot of them.
“Are navel oranges good for juicing?” is one of the most-searched juicing questions, and the answer is a genuine “it depends on when you drink it,” which nobody tells you at the store.
Here’s how the common varieties compare, how many you need, how to peel them fast, and how to buy oranges that are actually full of juice.
- Valencia oranges are the best for juicing. Juiciest, balanced flavor, and the juice keeps without turning bitter.
- Navel oranges are good only if you drink the juice right away. Stored navel juice goes bitter within about an hour.
- Three medium oranges make about 8 to 10 ounces. A 12-ounce glass takes four.
- Always peel. The peel is bitter and its oils irritate some stomachs. A little white pith is fine and mildly good for you.
- Orange juice is high in sugar. Use one orange to flavor a vegetable juice rather than drinking a glass of pure OJ.
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Orange Varieties for Juicing, Compared
| Orange | Juice yield | Flavor | Stores well? | Season (U.S.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valencia | Excellent | Sweet-tart, classic OJ | Yes | March to September |
| Navel | Good | Sweet, mild | No; turns bitter | November to April |
| Cara Cara | Good | Sweet, low acid, pink | Fair | December to April |
| Blood orange | Good | Berry, tart, deep red | Yes | December to April |
| Hamlin | Excellent | Mild, less sweet | Yes | October to January |
| Mandarin / clementine | Fair (small) | Very sweet | Fair | November to February |
| Tangelo | Very good | Tangy, bright | Yes | December to February |
| Seville (sour) | Good | Very sour, bitter | — | January to February; marmalade, not juice |
Why Navel Orange Juice Turns Bitter
Navels contain a compound called limonin in a harmless, tasteless form. When the fruit is juiced, an enzyme starts converting it into the bitter form, and within 30 to 60 minutes the juice tastes noticeably off.
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It’s called delayed bitterness, and it’s why commercial OJ is made from Valencias and why your “fresh-squeezed” navel juice from breakfast tastes strange at lunch.
So: navels are perfectly good for juicing if you juice and drink. They’re the wrong choice if you batch, store, or add orange juice to a jar you’ll finish tomorrow. For anything you’re keeping, use Valencias. The general storage rules are in how long fresh juice lasts, and citrus juice, navels aside, keeps well.
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- One medium orange: about 3 ounces of juice, roughly a third of a cup.
- An 8-ounce cup of OJ: two and a half to three oranges.
- A 12-ounce glass: four oranges. Roughly a pound and a half.
- To flavor a carrot or vegetable juice: one orange.
Those four oranges in a 12-ounce glass carry about 33 grams of sugar with no fiber, which is why I treat pure OJ as a treat and use one orange as a sweetener instead. Carrot-orange, the creamsicle juice in the beginner recipes, gets the flavor with a third of the sugar.
Portion guidance is in how much juice should you drink a day.
How to Buy Oranges That Are Actually Juicy
Pick them up. A juicy orange is heavy for its size; a light one is dry inside. The skin should be smooth and thin, with a little give when you press it, not rock hard and not soft.
Thick, pebbly, very bright skin often means more peel and less fruit. Small to medium oranges are usually juicier per pound than very large ones. Bagged juicing oranges are cheaper than loose display fruit and just as good for this.
Store oranges in the fridge crisper; they keep two to three weeks cold and about a week on the counter. Bring them to room temperature or roll them on the counter before juicing to get more out.
Peeling and Prep
Always peel oranges before they go in a juicer. The peel is bitter, its oils irritate some stomachs, and it’s tough on the machine.
The fastest method: cut a thin slice off the top and bottom, stand the orange up, and slice the peel off in strips from top to bottom following the curve. Leave a thin layer of white pith; it’s mildly bitter but carries fiber and flavonoids, and the juicer handles it fine.
Then halve or quarter and feed. If you’re using a citrus press or reamer instead, no peeling needed; just halve and press.
And if you have no juicer at all, a fork twisted in a halved orange over a bowl works, as described in how to juice without a juicer. The full prep method for all produce is in how to prep produce for juicing.
Orange Juice Combinations Worth Making
- Carrot Orange: 4 carrots, 1 orange. Tastes like a creamsicle.
- Orange Ginger Turmeric: 2 oranges, a thumb of ginger, an inch of turmeric, a pinch of black pepper. A golden morning juice, and one of my anti-inflammatory favorites.
- Blood Orange Beet: 2 blood oranges, 1 small beet, half a lemon. Deep red, tart, gorgeous.
- Orange Cucumber Mint: 1 orange, 1 cucumber, a handful of mint. Light and refreshing, low sugar.
A Note on Grapefruit and Medications
Oranges don’t interact with medications the way grapefruit does, with one exception: Seville (sour) oranges do, and so do some tangelos, which are part grapefruit. If you take statins, blood pressure medication, or anything your pharmacist has flagged for grapefruit, stick to regular sweet oranges and ask about tangelos.
Oranges for Juicing FAQ
Are Navel Oranges Good for Juicing?
Yes, if you drink the juice right away. Navels contain limonin, which turns bitter within about an hour of juicing. For juice you’ll store or batch, Valencia oranges are the better choice.
Are Valencia Oranges Good for Juicing?
Valencias are the best juicing oranges. They’re the juiciest common variety, have a balanced sweet-tart flavor, and their juice keeps without turning bitter. They’re what commercial orange juice is made from.
How Many Oranges Does It Take to Make a Glass of Juice?
About three medium oranges for an 8-ounce cup and four for a 12-ounce glass. Each orange yields roughly 3 ounces. For flavoring a vegetable or carrot juice, one orange is plenty.
Do You Have to Peel Oranges Before Juicing?
Yes, for any juicer that processes the whole fruit. The peel is bitter, its oils can upset your stomach, and it’s hard on the machine. Leave a thin layer of white pith. Citrus presses and reamers don’t require peeling.
Why Does My Fresh Orange Juice Taste Bitter?
Most likely you used navel oranges and the juice sat for a while; navels develop delayed bitterness from limonin. Too much peel or pith in the juicer causes it too. Use Valencias for stored juice and peel more thoroughly.
Your This-Week Plan
- Buy a bag of Valencias if they’re in season, or Hamlins or blood oranges if not. Skip navels for anything you’ll store.
- Make carrot-orange once: 4 carrots, 1 orange. That’s how much orange you need.
- Practice the top-and-bottom peel method on three oranges. You’ll be under 20 seconds each by the third.
- Read best apples for juicing for the other fruit that matters, and the beginner’s guide for the routine.
This article is for general education and isn’t medical or nutrition advice. Orange juice is high in natural sugar; if you manage diabetes or blood sugar, use oranges sparingly in vegetable-based juices and check with your provider. Seville oranges and some tangelos can interact with medications the way grapefruit does; ask your pharmacist if you take daily medication.
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