Orange juice is a breakfast staple, but store-bought juice can’t match the quality of fresh-squeezed nectar. If you’re wondering how many oranges you’ll need for your next recipe or morning cup of OJ, you’re in the right place!
Table of Contents
- How Many ml Of Juice Is In One Orange?
- Is It Cheaper To Juice Your Own Oranges?
- Orange Varieties
- Conclusion
How Many ml Of Juice Is In One Orange?
The short answer is: an average orange gives you about 60 ml or 2 fl oz of juice. If your recipe calls for juice from just one orange, you can also substitute it with 4 tablespoons of bottled OJ. No matter whether you’re juicing by hand or with a blender, oranges will provide you with plenty of juice.
Of course, every orange is unique and there are several factors to consider – no two oranges produce the same amount of juice. But the amount of juice primarily depends on the type of orange. It also depends on the mix you are making. For example, if you decide to mix oranges in while juicing greens, only one can be enough to hit the spot.
Navel oranges are the most common variety in the U.S. Yep, those are the ones that have a bump resembling an outie belly button. These fruits taste amazing, but they’re not the best kind for juicing. You’ll get about ¼ of a cup (or approximately 2 fl oz or 4 tablespoons) of juice from a navel orange.
Valencia oranges are the juiciest type on the US market. This orange cultivar gives you a tasty, bright-colored orange juice that you can store for a long time without it going bitter. These oranges typically yield about 1/3 of a cup (or about 3 fl oz / 5 tablespoons).
How Many Oranges Does It Take To Make 8 oz (1 cup) Of Juice?
If you want to drink a glass of fresh orange juice, first, you need to decide if you’re going to drink concentrated or diluted juice. Perhaps you’re on a diet or want to cut down on sugar. I highly recommend diluting orange juice with water. 50/50 or less water would be a good ratio for dilution since orange juice isn’t as intense or acidic as many other citrus juices.
To get 8 ounces of concentrated orange juice, you need about 4 medium-sized oranges.
If you decide to dilute your juice 50/50, you’ll only need two oranges for a full 8-oz glass (1 cup).
How Many Oranges Make 250ml Of Juice?
If your recipe calls for 250 ml of orange juice, you need 8.4 fl oz or just a bit more than a cup. You’ll get that amount by juicing 4 big or 5 medium-sized fruits.
Is It Cheaper To Juice Your Own Oranges?
It may feel like store-bought juice is quite expensive, but the truth is that it’s cheaper than juicing your own.
As I mentioned, you get around 2 oz of concentrated juice in one orange, despite the fact that oranges offer virtually the most among citrus fruit (certainly compared to how much juice is in limes).
Even if you dilute it 50/50 with water, you’ll still need two medium oranges for a full glass of juice.
You get about 5 oranges in a pound. If you only pay $3 per pound (a realistic price is approximately $5 per lb, but say you find a terrific deal), an 8-oz glass of freshly-squeezed juice costs you $1.2.
Compared to a $5 for an 89 fl oz bottle of orange juice, it turns out, juicing your own oranges is very expensive. However, if you don’t drink a lot, it’s well worth it to squeeze your own morning cup of juice.
The benefits of fresh-squeezed orange juice outweigh the cost.
First things first, all bottled orange juice gets pasteurized. While this is not necessarily bad (pasteurization makes juice shelf-stable without unnatural additives), the process does make juice lose some of its nutrients and flavor. To make up for that, juice factories usually add sugar and flavor enhancers to make your drink tastier. So, you end up with only a fraction of the vitamins usually found in fresh OJ.
Slowly juicing your oranges costs more, but it also gives you more nutrients, nourishing your body with every sip. If you make your orange juice, especially if you use a good masticating juicer, you’ll get all the good stuff found in all-natural oranges – vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and plenty more.
Orange Varieties
There are hundreds of orange varieties throughout the world, but this citrus fruit didn’t always exist in the wild. Oranges originated from southern China, and they’re a hybrid of two citrus trees – the pomelo and the mandarin. Today, we grow a few orange varieties in the US and import many that we don’t grow here, but here are the four most common types of oranges.
Navel Oranges
If you get your fruits from any supermarket or grocery store, chances are you’re accustomed to navel oranges. Their name is quite descriptive since the orange has a bump that resembles an outie belly button on the non-stem end. They’re also known as holiday oranges because they mature during the winter.
Navel oranges taste amazing when you eat them (plus they’re seedless), but they aren’t the best pick for juice. The limonin-rich navel orange juice goes bitter quickly, so it’s critical to drink it as soon as you juice it. In other words, the fluid can’t be stored, even in the fridge.
If you decide to drink or use navel orange juice in a recipe, you can get a moderate amount of nectar from it. Additionally, since navels are so common, they’re among the cheapest oranges on the market.
Valencia Oranges
If you want the best fresh orange juice, go for Valencia oranges. This juice-rich, sweet orange doesn’t get bitter even after storing your juice in the fridge for a couple of days, and it makes a great addition to any recipe. The taste is rich, sweet, and has low acidity, making this orange perfect for both juicing and eating.
While they contain a few seeds, the rich juice content makes up for the hassle of removing the stray seeds.
Also known as the Hamlin orange, this orange has nothing to do with the city in Spain. It comes from southern California, and it’s widely available in the US. The Valencia orange season runs from March to July.
Cara Cara Orange
The picturesque pink-orange is called Cara Cara, and it’s not only visually appealing but delectably sweet as well. Also known as “pink navel,” Cara Cara oranges are another excellent pick for eating or juicing.
The Cara Cara gives you a moderate quantity of juice (like navel oranges). Still, they’re a great pick if you’re looking for an out-of-the-ordinary flavor. Along with sweetness and low acidity, the pink flesh of Cara Caras has a distinct flavor that resembles berries.
Apart from the unique taste, Cara Cara orange juice also gives you more vitamin C and vitamin A than regular navel oranges. They’re also seedless, so they’re easy to juice.
Blood Orange
You will recognize a blood orange as soon as you cut it open – the deep red or crimson flesh is their most distinctive trait. The peel of blood oranges is orange, only slightly darker than a regular navel.
This orange tends to be somewhat smaller than other cultivars. They have only a few seeds, and they’re also easier to peel. They can be found from December to April, though they cost more than other types of oranges even when they’re in season.
Blood orange juice is very sweet and delicious, with a distinct berry kick. They yield a moderate amount of fluid which should be used the same day it’s juiced – the drink ferments quickly due to the much higher sugar content. Apart from the morning glass of vitamin-rich juice, you can also use these oranges to prepare jam and cakes.
Conclusion
Oranges are sweet, delicious, and very good for you. While you may miss out on some of the fiber when you juice them instead of eating them out of hand, orange juice is an excellent, healthy treat for the whole family. It also makes a great addition to many recipes, but it’s crucial to know how much juice you can get from one orange so you can plan.
At The Home Dweller, we do our best to make your domestic life tastier, more comfortable, and convenient. If you found this article useful, help us out by sharing it on social media! If you have any opinions on OJ, whether it’s store-bought or freshly-squeezed, let us know in the comments!
