While Jugo de Zanahoria y Naranja (Carrot and Orange Juice) may sound like an unusual combination, it turns out to be a nutritious, refreshing, popular Dominican drink.
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Well before "juicing" became a thing, this Jugo de Zanahoria y Naranja was already very popular in the Dominican Republic. I remember drinking and loving it as a child.
The combination works marvelously, as the orange juice masks some of the carrot flavor, making this carrot and orange juice more palatable for kids and picky eaters.
Carrot and orange juice benefits
In itself, carrots are already quite nutritious. Daucus carota subsp. sativus, the scientific name for this root vegetable related to celery, is an edible plant, most commonly cultivated as a root vegetable, although the leaves are also edible (they look like parsley, but taste a bit like celery). Carrot comes in many different colors, though the orange one is more prevalent.
In the Dominican Republic, carrots are cultivated in the Constanza region, which is uniquely suited for this cultivar that grows in climates not commonly found in the Caribbean.
Carrot is a great source of beta-carotene (which gives it its orange color), a also good source of vitamin B6 and vitamin K.
In this juice, the nutritional properties of oranges (namely, being a great source of vitamin C) complements both its nutrition as well as its flavor.
About our recipe
You can find a similar drink that combines this with beetroot, but this combination is also very popular. Some people prefer to use lime juice instead of orange juice, so this is a substitution that you might like to try.
While this is the way this juice is traditionally made in the Dominican Republic, if you have a juicer, you might experiment with this combination and see how it works for you.
Check our other Dominican juice recipes that we also recommend you try.
Salud!
Jugo de Zanahoria y Naranja (Carrot and Orange Juice)
Ingredients
- 3 large carrots , washed and chopped
- 16 oz orange juice [2 cups, 0.5 l]
- Sugar or sweetener (optional)
- Ice
Instructions
- Blend: Combine the carrots and 1 qt [1 l] of water. Liquefy in the blender.Sieve and get rid of the solids (optional, this is how it's traditionally done in the Dom. Rep.). Mix in the orange juice.
- Serve: Add sugar or sweetener to taste (optional).Add ice and serve.
Yes, I remember my mom used to give me this! I didn't know the carrot and orange juice health benefits. Thanks!