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The most commonly grown fruit tree in the world is the orange. This familiar fruit is a hybrid of ancient cultivated origin, possibly the pomelo and mandarin. The many varieties of orange are widely grown in warm climes. Brazil and the United States are the primary producing countries. Within the United States, California and Florida predominate.
The elementary school I attended in Dunedin, Florida happened to be located only a few miles from a Hoodโs orange juice factory. This facility is now owned by Coca-Cola.
Many days, my classmates and I could smell the distinctive aroma of burning citrus peels from the belching smokestack. While this unusual smell didnโt bother me too much, many of my classmates found it nauseating. Some even stayed indoors for recess on days when the wind was blowing in the schoolโs direction.
Commercial Orange Juice Processing
While burning citrus peel waste may not seem too problematic, the process of extracting the juice from the oranges in a factory setting definitely is.
Conventional oranges are sprayed heavily with a class of pesticides called cholinesterase inhibitors. This class of chemicals is known to be highly toxic to the nervous system. A single orange juice factory is able to squeeze up to 1,800 tons of oranges each day. This is accomplished by placing the entire orange into the pressing machines โ pesticides and all!
As if that isnโt enough, juice manufacturers use acid sprays during processing. These chemicals extract every drop of juice from each orange. This includes orange oil from the skin. Every glass of โhealthyโ supermarket OJ contains traces of these toxic residues. Shockingly, these toxins are not listed on the label.ย (1)
While orange juice can and should be a wonderfully healthy beverage, processed orange juice from the supermarket is clearly to be avoided!
How to best make orange juice a healthy choice? Surely, freshly squeezed from unsprayed oranges is the best choice. If youโre game, you can take it one step further adding probiotics to the mix.
How to Make Orangina
It is easy to ferment orange juice into the delicious, bubbly beverage commonly referred to as orangina. The process addsย a healthy dose of probiotics along with enhanced nutrition and enzymes too.
A dozen medium-sized oranges are all you need to get started with homemade orangina. Unsprayed or organically grown is best. If you canโt easily obtain a bag of oranges, many health food stores sell unpasteurized orange juice in the refrigerated section. Iโve seen freshly squeezed OJ at Whole Foods year-round. While purchasing fresh juice is a good alternative, squeezing your own is the most economical way to make this popular fermented beverage.
Recipe adapted fromย Nourishing Traditions Cookbook
Orangina Recipe
Easy recipe for fermenting fresh squeezed orange juice into bubbly orangina. A great alternative to orange soda!
Ingredients
- 12 oranges medium-sized, preferably unsprayed or organic
- 1-2 tsp orange extract preferably organic
- 3 cups filtered water
Fermentation Starter
- 1/4 tsp sea salt Use with whey as the fermentation starter. Do not use with dairy-free fruit and vegetable starter.
- 1/4 cup liquid whey Use in combination with sea salt as the fermentation starter. Do not use with dairy-free fruit and vegetable starter.
- fruit and vegetable starter Use instead of whey and sea salt as a dairy-free fermentation starter.
Instructions
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Squeeze the oranges to produce about 1 quart of unfiltered juice. Add water and mix well in a half-gallon mason jar (I use these) taking care to leave a minimum of an inch at the top.
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Stir in the sea salt and orange extract. Screw on the lid and leave on the kitchen counter for two days. Refrigerate.
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You may serve the chilled orangina plain or mixed with a bit of natural mineral water to add additional carbonation.
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Alternatively, you can bottle the fermented orange juice to transform it into orangina โ a bubbly orange soda-like beverage.ย
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The orangina will last a month or two in the refrigerator and will develop an appealing orange/banana-like flavor after a few days.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Fermented OJ is easily bottled into bubbly orangina. For many, this represents a worthy and healthy alternative to orange soda. This article plus video outlines the process for bottling homemade soda.
More Fermented Drink Recipes to Enjoy!
Switchel: Natureโs Healthy Gatorade
How to Make Traditional Root Beer
How to Make Fermented Lemonade (Hindu Lemonade)
How to Make Ginger Ale
I did this with just fermenting 2 oranges in a jar with water. I left it out for 2 days, it tasted amazing and so carbonated! I got into fermenting fruit recently, almost any fruit left out for 2 days turns into something fizzy, less sugary, and amazing-tasting.
I have Concord Grapes that will be ripe soon. How do I make fermented grape juice. I prefer to keep the pulp in my juice.
Can I use a Kombucha mother to ferment fruit? I know how to add the fruit to the Kombucha, but I just want plain juice fermented.
Hi Sarah,i love your blog i learn soo much thank you….
Sarah how much water need my children drink per day in hot summer?
is fermented beverages best options?.
i hear to take 8 glasses per day of water?
must i give them to drink or waiting they ask to drink?
thank you Sarah
As I think more aboutmthis, I’m guessing the faster fermentation would not allow enough time for the probiotics
Hi Sarah,
In one of the comments you replied that adding orange extract helps with the flavor since the juice is diluted to slow fermentation down. What would happen if you used full strength juice? A faster fermentaion, based on your comment, but is that a bad thing?
Looking forward to making this!
As mentioned in the video, this would ferment the juice too fast and it would not work as well.
HI Healthy Home Economist,
I’ve been getting a lot of oranges in my CSA boxes lately and I hate eating them, so I made orangina as a treat! I only had 8 oranges so I made a slightly smaller batch. I finally pried it open to try today and boy was it fizzy – no seltzer would be required!
I have a small issue though I was wondering if you’ve ever encountered – Although I can’t smell or taste it, it seems to contain a small amount of alcohol. My muscles are being systematically relaxed with the same sensations that having a few sips of wine does to me, after drinking this on an empty stomach first thing in the morning.
Do you ever get mild amounts of alcohol occurring in your batches? What would cause this, and is it cause for concern?
Thanks!
Anytime you ferment, there is alcohol present…yeast consume sugars, and expel co2 and etanol….fyi…but drink it, enjoy it
Hi, I made this & it was lovely my whole family enjoyed it. However it was flat, was it meant to be a little fizzy? I used whey leftover from making kefir cheese x
Margaret Haines Whittington.. our next project I think.. – although you’d better leave the squeezing to me – lol!
Shaun Rampersad
We just tried this a few days ago and my four y/o in particular loves it! It feels good to give my kids what they need and to make it taste good ๐