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How to ferment orange juice into orangina, a bubbly, probiotic beverage that is both delicious and healthy for the gut. A great alternative to orange soda!
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 West Central 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.
Cultured OJ
It is easy to ferment orange juice into the delicious, bubbly beverage commonly referred to as โoranginaโ.
The culturing process addsย a healthy dose of probiotics along with enhanced nutrition and enzymes.
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.
While purchasing fresh juice is a good alternative, squeezing your own is the most economical way to make this popular fermented beverage.
Note that the recipe below contains a secondary fermentation that is optional, but worth the effort! All you have to do is bottle the initial orangina ferment (I use 8 ounce flip-top glass bottles). The result is highly carbonated beverage that is a healthy alternative to orange soda from the store.
This linked recipe contains more details on how to bottle homemade fermented beverages.
If you donโt have time to ferment OJ, then at least add cream to fresh-squeezed OJ to lower the blood sugar spike!
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 large oranges preferably organic
- 1-2 tsp orange extract optional, preferably organic
- 3 cups filtered water
Fermentation Starter
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup liquid whey
- 1/4 tsp fruit and vegetable starter Use instead of whey 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, 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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After chilling, enjoy this lightly effervescent, probiotic beverage!
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For additional carbonation, I recommend a secondary ferment by bottling the cultured OJ to transform it into carbonated orangina.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.
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Always open bottles of orangina when very cold. Never shake the bottles, or you will make a mess when they are opened!
Recipe Video
References
(1) Dirty Secrets of the Food Processing Industry
(2) Nourishing Traditions Cookbook
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
Can I replace the whey with dry active yeast as the fermenting agent?
Using dry yeast instead of whey will not work.
I made a batch of this and left it on the counter for a little more than two days…about 60 hours as we were camping. It tastes good and seems “right” however I just noticed some black spots on the lid of the jar that are easily cleaned/wiped off. Is that mold? Does this mean I need to toss it?
Use your best judgment. I would probably drink it as long as the liquid was spot free.
Can I use the whey for Milk Kefir?
Yes, but the orangina will be stronger tasting.
Is it possible to use wild orange essential oil instead of the orange extract? I have the EO but not the extract. I try not to buy extra ingredients for 1 use if I don’t have to. Thanks!
I’ve never used essential oils for this recipe to tell you one way or the other. I would be wary though. Ingesting essential oils is not always a good idea. I personally never do it in my home.
can i use powdered whey protein?
julie
Powdered whey is a dead processed food, no you cannot use it. The recipe will not work using powdered whey. Liquid whey is enzyme and probiotic rich. Follow the instructions in the recipe to obtain the amount needed to make the orangina. You can easily get some from yogurt, kefir or clabbered milk.
I made whey a few weeks ago from raw milk and its been in the fridge since. Today I took it out for the orangina recipe. The whey has a bitter taste. Its this normal? Is the whey still good? Thanks, Sally
Hard to tell when I can’t see it or smell it for myself. If it doesn’t have any mold, it’s probably fine but the orangina might not taste right.
Why can’t you use vanilla yogurt whey? I could not find plain yogurt
Vanilla yogurt has a lot of sugar in it which would mess up the fermentation.
When do you add the whey?
With all the other ingredients. Just blend everything together once you’ve squeezed the oranges.
I accidental left to ferment for 4 days. It doesn’t taste good or bad. Is it still healthy or do the probiotics die off? I am thinking of freezing it into cubes for smoothies. Will probiotics survive freezing?
Freezing will not harm the probiotics.
If you don’t want to use whey, can you substitute kambucha?
Please use whey or a nondairy fermented food inoculant. Kombucha won’t be strong enough.