Fresh Orange Juice and Low-Sugar Fruit Juice Recipes

Orange juice is a popular, year-round favorite. In the winter, oranges are in season, so you can find an abundance of oranges.

That’s also when most people load up on Vitamin C that they associate with orange juice, and why orange juice grocery shelves can be full or running empty. I share below how you can optimize an entire orange in homemade freshly squeezed juice. 

I also wanted to mention a healthy smoothie place I go to when I’m out. Last week I had a nice surprise. I heard I won a giveaway from South Block, a smoothie bowl place down the block that’s grown to about 10 or more stores, a perfect number for a 10-year anniversary milestone they’ve hit.

…So fast forward a few years later and I learn I’m celebratin’ with them for making strides, thriving sustainably as local retail businesses got hit hard especially last year when our new normal was new.

They get extra props because they’re surviving the toughest societal times we’ve had and that I’ve lived through. Coming from a food-hospitality work background, I can empathetically appreciate the efforts.

I was super excited because I’d never won anything before…and this happens to be my favorite local healthy-inspired food place! They do something special — they create dreamy-colorful, smoothie bowls with ingredients that taste fresh and not like chalky powders or marinated-preserved berries. The cold and made-to-order details were just higher quality.

And I found out the whimsical blue color comes from an ingredient called blue majik (that’s the magic in the blue bowl I was talking about). They also use ingredients like camu camu and maca root wheere you feel like you’ve been invited to a new array of rainforest superfoods shipped from an exotic locale in the world and infused in your made-to-order bowl or smoothie.

OK, I could go on and on excited!…

But, today I also wanted to share some house-made fruit and orange juice recipes I do at home. I’ve become supersensitized to how much sugar I consume (and maybe you’re aware too?).

I almost wish when you were a kid they told you, enjoy all this sugar now before you grow up…

Because the sweet tooth fairy can follow you around as you get older, like she did for me, lol.

But, I’ve learned from the wisdom fairy (Fairy Godmother?) to use fruit (fructose) for any sweetness, and maybe a dash of ‘lil honey or dusting of the white, brown, or powder sugar. When you buy unsweetened ingredients and make your own drinks and bakes, then you can measure and control your sugar intake and contribute to your better health. After all, we only get our only body to take care of in this life.

And that hopefully inspires you to eat healthy at least most of the time (as it does for me).

Next time you think about orange juice, before you a mad dash to the OJ grocery store aisle, consider making your own orange juice from whole oranges.

Fresh Orange Juice

Oranges are one of my favorite fruits.

They are good for anxiety and if you’re leaning into the Vata mind-body ways. If you can’t get the work life balance or life is stressful, keeping an orange near you to sniff and that will help you! And a fresh orange juice will help too.

And if you feel it in your nervous digestive tract, try an orange elixir like this recipe.

There are so many varieties, and I love the Cara Cara sweetheart orange variety (common around Christmas) that can be juicier and sweeter than a California navel orange that’s in season a little earlier.

The scent of an orange is known to have a calming effect and is good for aromatherapy. If you’re feeling anxiety, keep an orange near you (…it could help your anxious mood).

In the kitchen, I’m always excited about freshly squeezed orange juice.

There are commercially sold machines you may have seen that crank out fresh orange juice from whole oranges. You may have seen one of these at selective grocery stores if you live in a larger metro area. Fresh orange juice definitely ruined me for any added sugar orange juice that comes from a carton (like I grew up drinking).

High sugar is harsh on your stomach, and especially if you have a routine to drink caffeine that’s very acidic in the morning. Processed orange juice and coffees aren’t a stomach’s friend (and can give you that acidic heartburn feeling), but they can provide desired taste and energy satisfaction.

Hmm, so what’s the alt choice?

You can make your own orange juice (no added sugar or additives) with a citrus squeezing tool, one of my favorite kitchen tools. Mine is bright yellow so I have no choice but to be sunny when I use it 😉.  That’s just a ‘lil tip, If you want to brighten your day, buy and use fun color kitchen tools, mitts, and cutting boards. The knife I use for cutting almost everything fruit or plant-based is also (coincidentally) yellow.

Orange Zest (essence). Before I cut into the orange for orange juice, I go around the orange peel, grating, and capturing all the outside orange zest as essence for zhughing up other sweet morning smoothies, dishes, and garnishes (that’s where my former-catering and party planning mind kicks into gear!).

Orange Pith. Most people throw that spongy, slightly bitter part out, but I like to use all or most of the orange and leave little traces of any orange compost.

When I get to the whitish pith part of the orange, I grate and add that to a tall glass (or capture some of the pith for future dishes). The orange pith is high in Vit C (as is the juicy pulp) and anti-inflammatory flavonoids. For those reasons alone, it’s worth considering mixing in foods and drinks/smoothies where you wouldn’t even know it was there. You add your seeds to everything, why not pith? I’ll be adding to my quinoa bowls soon during high citrus season.

Orange Pulp. Then I cut the orange in half, put the orange half in my citrus squeeze tool, and squeeze away the juice into a tall glass. And enjoy!

Any small seeds stay in the tool. A-ha... maybe that’s a hint to grow a pretty-color orange tree (another fond childhood memory I have).

When you’ve mastered orange juice (I’m kidding, you’ve probably made your own before), I make my bright and early morning smoothie. This comes after drinking room temperature ginger water, and before a solid food item like sprouted bread or a quinoa bowl… and then I get to the cold-brew coffee.

I call this my pre-brunch breakfast menu because, by the time 11 am rolls around I’m hungry again for some protein and carbs… maybe that’s your stomach or you stay fine or not hungry until lunch?  We’re all built a little different but keeping healthy food variety and biodiversity is good for the gut (I know that’s the sound of music to Vata body types!).

Green-Fruity Smoothie

The South Block Mermaid bowl inspired me to add spirulina to my morning green smoothies. The drying-astringent powder has well… an unappealing marine-algae taste on its own, but you can mask with your other ingredients… and it makes up for its taste with its health benefits (antioxidant, good for weight loss, blood pressure, detoxification, inflammation, cardiovascular health, cholesterol… I think that covers everything healthy!). And you can create cool green-blue color drinks in any shade you want.

One masking ingredient you can add is 100% pineapple juice (no added sugar) that’s loaded with Vit C, K, minerals, and bromelain (known to be good for helping heal some ailments).

You can also add your fave berries like wild blueberries (also with those vitamins plus quercetin flavonoids). Even if you don’t how these nutrients help your body—you’ve heard of them as good and healthy!

Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins and minerals good for the body. They help with good skin that you can notice first before any other body symptoms. What you eat is as or more important than a good moisturizer for glowing skin.

Low-Sugar Sweet Apple Carrot or Fresh Carrot juice

You can also make your carrot juice over buying expensive ones at the store.

You can cook baby carrots to soften them. Let them cool. And then add cored apple slices and water to a blender. I use a quick blender called the Magic Bullet. Blend to consistency. You can use whole carrots but then you have to peel and cut off the ends, so baby carrots are the quick, easy, and inexpensive way. If you want to make your carrot juice a little sweeter, add apple sauce (with or without cinnamon spice), or a tablespoon of good honey.

And if you want to give your carrot juice a different saltier veggie flavor, you can also add cumin spice and tomatoes.

Old Fashioned Summer Porch Peach Juice

I like to take a large glass jar and brew old-fashioned summer tea that’s super easy to make. I’m not sure if that comes from my adult southern roots, as I lived in the Carolinas.

And a peach profiterole recipe could enhance the summer peach vibes! 🍑

You basically pour water into a glass jar that has a lid. Then I set the tea bags in the jar. I use 4 tea bags for a  6-cup or 3-pint jar. I like to use a brisk tea like Lipton to get that super crisp tea taste, and they conveniently have strings, so I tie the bags together. Secure the lid. Then set outdoors on a patio in the bright sun. And like magic, you have sun tea in about a day or two and the tea should be ready to drink.

I like the idea of peaches and tea. You can use fresh peaches, removing the middle pit and any stem, add to your blender with water. Then add back to your sun tea. Or, you can dice or cut a whole peach into small, cut pieces, like in a mocktail sangria. How fun, right?

Hope you’re inspired to make your own homemade juices that can maybe help you get closer to your health-worthy goals!