We Tasted 8 Orange Juice Brands — and the No. 1 Brand Was a Surprise to Everyone
These four juices are worth the squeeze.
For a beverage with only one ingredient, orange juice varies wildly in quality. But there are many things that can impact the juice being poured into your glass — the quality and freshness of the oranges, how those oranges were juiced, and how that juice was preserved. So, we decided to taste eight of the most well-known orange juice brands, side by side and sight unseen, in order to determine which is truly the best.
How we determined the contenders
When deciding which juices to taste, we had to make a big decision: pulp or no pulp?
No pulp seemed like the best way to compare the quality of the juices, allowing us to focus primarily on flavor without getting distracted by the prominence or texture of the pulp, which can vary from producer to producer. We only considered orange juices that have a single ingredient — oranges (or orange juice, as listed on the nutrition labels). That means we didn’t include juices with added vitamins, like vitamin D or calcium hydroxide.
We also only included juices that have been pasteurized — a process that kills harmful bacteria and preserves liquids to make them more shelf-stable and safer to drink. This meant that most freshly squeezed juices, like ones that were juiced that week or on-premises, were not included.
Lastly, we only included juice brands that are available nationwide.
Here is the full list of orange juice contenders, in alphabetical order
- Evolution Fresh Organic Pure Orange Juice
- Florida’s Natural 100% Premium Orange Juice
- Natalie’s Orange Juice
- Simply Orange Juice
- Trader Joe’s 100% Orange Juice
- Tropicana Original Orange Juice
- Uncle Matt’s Organic Orange Juice
- Whole Foods 365 Orange Juice
How we tested
We gathered a team of six Food & Wine editors to taste every orange juice. The juices were poured into plastic cups so that we weren’t aware of which juice was which. Every editor scored the juices based on flavor and body. For flavor, they considered how “orangey” the juice is — that is, how much the juice tastes like a fresh orange — as well as the balance between sweetness and acidity. For body, they considered the overall mouthfeel, looking for a juice that is not too watery and not too thick. Each juice was also given a general rating, which reflected the taster’s overall enjoyment of the juice.
The scores were then added and averaged to determine the top four contenders, without consideration for the price or brand name. The results below are our favorites. Read on to discover which juices are truly worth the squeeze.
Best overall: Uncle Matt’s Organic Orange Juice
Although Uncle Matt’s Organic is available nationwide, it was the only brand tasted that most of our editors were unfamiliar with. And yet, their orange juice took top honors. It was by far the sweetest of the bunch, reminiscent of the freshest, juiciest oranges you’d pick right off a tree in Florida. Uncle Matt’s credits this flavor to their use of organic Valencia and Hamlin oranges, and their flash pasteurization process, which treats liquids at high temperatures for a short period of time to preserve flavor at its highest quality.
We didn’t take price into account when selecting our favorite orange juice, but Uncle Matt’s also happened to be less expensive than other organic OJs on the market. Drink this juice for breakfast, use it in cocktails, or better yet, double down on the sweetness and pour it over vanilla ice cream for a Creamsicle-inspired float. $9 for 52 ounces
Most like homemade: Natalie’s Orange Juice
“Freshly squeezed” is written on the front of every bottle of Natalie’s orange juice for good reason. They juice their Florida oranges in small batches every week to ensure their product tastes nearly identical to what you’d make at home. The result is an orange juice that’s evenly balanced — sweet, with just enough acidity to make your mouth pucker.
Some editors noted a slightly bitter taste on the front-end, but one that quickly dissipated, similar to what you’d get from an actual oranges purchased at your local grocery store. We also noticed that Natalie’s is more viscous than the other juices we tasted — a great in-between for those who can’t decide whether they want their OJ with or without pulp. $14 for 56 ounces
Most refreshing: Evolution Organic Pure Orange Juice
Evolution’s cold-pressed juice is processed using high-pressure, meaning the juice remains chilled from start to finish. The result is a juice that’s lighter mouthfeel than most of the other OJs we tasted, which our editors felt was a perk. Its bright, juicy flavor, subtle acidity, and sheer drinkability makes this OJ extremely refreshing, evoking a nostalgic sense of childhood juice boxes and orange-flavored popsicles. A perfect option to chug after a long day in the sun. $12 for 59 ounces
Best value: Tropicana Pure Premium Orange Juice
Out of all the big-name brands, Tropicana makes our favorite budget-minded orange juice. Sure, it still has the pungent acidity and somewhat chalky texture indicative of low-cost orange juices, but it also has a satisfying hit of fresh orange flavor. It’s less sweet than our other top OJ choices, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. A glass of Tropicana, has and always will be a reliable breakfast beverage and easy source of Vitamin C. $4 for 46 ounces
