How to Juice Oranges With Skin

Give your homemade orange juice a nutrition and flavor boost by juicing with the peel. Oranges are famous for their vitamin C content, but they're also a good source of vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, potassium and a variety of other essential minerals. Orange peel -- though zested for use in small amounts in cooking -- isn't quite as well known for its nutritional benefits or even as something to be consumed, but it's actually packed with vitamin C and other nutrients, such as limonene, glucarate and pectin.

Step 1

Select oranges with smooth, firm peels free of bruising or other visible damage, and that feel heavy for their size. Opt for organic oranges, if possible, since you'll be consuming the rinds, which otherwise probably contain pesticide residue.

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Step 2

Rinse the oranges under a strong stream of cold water in the sink. Scrub them thoroughly with a firm produce brush under the running water to remove any dirt, debris, bacteria and chemicals.

Step 3

Cut each orange into eight equal segments with a sharp knife. Remove and discard the seeds as you find them. Then, cut each segment into a few smaller pieces to easily fit into the juicer's tube. Throw out any additional seeds as they surface.

Step 4

Attach your electric juicer's cup to the appropriate place, or position a glass under the spout, depending on the particular model you're using. Check the manufacturer's instructions if you need help with the setup.

Step 5

Feed small handfuls of chopped orange into the juicing tube on at a time. Turn the juicer on or depress the plunger as needed for your machine, referring to the owner's manual for assistance if necessary. Repeat the process until you've used up all the orange pieces.

Things You'll Need

Produce brush
Knife
Electric juicer

Tip

Mix orange with other fruits, such as strawberries, banana or pineapple, for a more complexly flavored juice. Use it as a basis for smoothies or frozen treats, if you like.

Consume your orange juice promptly, as fresh juice doesn't hold its peak flavor all that long. Refrigerate unused portions, preferably in an airtight glass jar, for up to a few days.

Choose a centrifugal electric juicer over a masticating electric juicer. Due to the way it renders certain enzymes inactive during juicing, the resulting products maintains its proper color and taste longer, according to Cook's Illustrated.

Warning

Although packed with vitamins, fresh orange juice doesn't offer the fiber content that a whole orange does. This is the main drawback from a nutritional standpoint. This also means juice is less satisfying than whole fruit, though still providing most of the calories.

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