We all know that, when it comes to your five-a-day foods, some are better for your health than others. However, that doesn’t mean that any fruits are unhealthy, and drinking juice from any type of fruit will supply you with a whole host of healthful vitamins and minerals.
With that said, some fruits are better to juice than others because they produce the most juice, making them the best value for money. My list of the best fruits for juicing covers high-yield fruits, as well as fruits that taste the best and supply the most impressive range of nutrients when consumed in liquid form.
Whether you’re doing a juice cleanse or you just enjoy a glass of fresh juice in the morning, you should get some value from my list of the 12 fruits that are best for juicing.
🥤 Best 12 Fruits for Juicing
1. Oranges
Packed full of vitamin C, oranges are famed for boosting the immune system, and many of us start our day with a glass of fresh orange juice for that reason.
If you can make your own orange juice, you’ll get the tastiest, healthiest start to the day. Keep in mind that not all oranges are ideal for juicing, as some are high in limonin, which makes juice bitter. You can find out which oranges are best for juicing here.
Oranges are affordable, and you can yield a lot of juice from a single orange. This makes them ideal for juicing on a budget.
2. Blueberries
If you love blueberry pie and blueberry muffins, you’ll know that these sweet berries offer their own unique, addictive flavor that makes them perfect for adding to baked goods. But a much healthier way to enjoy the benefits of blueberries is to turn them into a fruit juice.
Blueberries are packed full of B-vitamins, and are one of the best antioxidant fruits available. They might only be small, but blueberries can protect against aging and even cancer, thanks to their ability to fight free radicals.
The only issue with blueberries is that they tend to be expensive, and they’re tiny, so you’ll need a lot of them. If you’re a juicing hobbyist who doesn’t like to spend a fortune on your juices, try adding blueberries to juices made from apples or other berries.
3. Peaches
You’ll find peaches in abundance in late summer, when the fruit is largest and juiciest. These fruits are rich in antioxidants and can protect the skin and aid in digestion.
It’s best to leave peaches at room temperature, not the fridge, to let them soften before juicing. During this time, the flavor of the fruit will intensify, giving a stronger peach essence to your juice.
Peaches yield a lot of juice and are affordable in peak season. This makes them a good option for anyone looking for the best value for money from their juicing ingredients. Buy peaches in the summer months for the tastiest fruit.
4. Apples
Apples might just be the most popular fruit, offering an impressive range of health benefits. Apples are also some of the best fruits for juicing, and most juice recipes you come across will contain apple juice.
Bursting with potassium and fiber, apple juices can prevent inflammation and allergies. Apple juice is versatile, too: you can use it to make cider and non-alcoholic mulled wine, or simply drink it cold with your breakfast. You can mix apple juice with beet juice, the juice of acai berries, and even carrots for a beta carotene boost.
Apples are affordable and a juicer’s dream. They yield a lot of juice and are processed quickly and easily in centrifugal and masticating juicers. Be careful, though – drinking too much apple juice may mean that your sugar intake is higher than it should be.
5. Pomegranates
Pomegranates might not be the most obvious choice for a juicing newbie, but pomegranate juice is delicious and incredibly healthy. One of the top superfoods, pomegranates can fight heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and arthritis.
The flavor of pomegranate is mild and sweet, and the deep pink color is beautiful. However, pomegranates take a while to peel, so you’ll need to do more prep work with this fruit.
Pomegranates are also more expensive than staple fruits like apples, but their juice yield is good. I recommend adding pomegranate to other fruit juices so you’re not spending too much time and money on juicing this fruit.
6. Lemons
Oranges might be the favorite citrus fruit for juicing, but lemons aren’t far behind. With their ability to aid digestion and support balanced blood sugar, lemons are worth adding to your juicer. Lemon juice is also a good source of vitamin C.
Keep in mind, however, that freshly-squeezed lemon juice is far too sour to drink alone. It’s best to add the juice of one lemon to a jug of berry juices like cranberry juice, or apple juice. Alternatively, use fresh lemon juice in iced tea, salad dressings, or fish marinades.
Lemons, like oranges, are widely available and affordable. Use a dedicated citrus juicer for your lemon juice for the best results.
7. Prunes
Prunes might not be on your top 10 list of fruits, but they should definitely be on your top 10 list of fruits for juicing. Prune juice is high in vitamins and antioxidants, and is perhaps best known for its natural laxative properties.
Juicing prunes is more difficult because you’ll need to steam the prunes to rehydrate them, before removing the seeds, pits, and skin using a strainer. However, prune juice is healthy, tasty, and unlike any other fruit juice out there, which is why it has made my list.
You can buy pitted prunes, which will save you the job of removing the pits yourself.
8. Pineapples
Pineapple juice might be most famous for its inclusion in piña coladas, but you don’t have to combine the juice with coconut milk and rum to produce an enjoyable beverage. Fresh pineapple juice has a sweet, addictive flavor – and it’s good for you, too.
Pineapples contain manganese and vitamin C, as well as bromelain, an enzyme that reduces inflammation and treats pain and swelling. Pineapple juice can also support digestion, boost immunity, and even help fight certain types of cancer.
The price of pineapples is low. You can either juice pineapple with the skin on or the skin off, as the skin does contain a small amount of juice. However, the juice from the skin can be quite tangy, and the skin can clog in juicers with weaker motors, so you may need to remove the skin before juicing.
9. Mangoes
Mango juice is a firm favorite in many households, and it’s easy to see why. This juice has a more exotic flavor than your average glass of orange juice, and can be mixed with strawberries, lemonade, peaches, oranges, and more. Mangoes are packed with nutrients that promote lower blood pressure levels, improve the function of the immune system, regulate blood sugar levels, and support the digestive system and relieve constipation. Mangoes also introduce fiber to help people lose weight.
When juicing with mangoes, remove the skin before putting the whole fruit into the feed chute. While most fruits and vegetables are safe to juice with their skins on, the skin of mangoes contains a toxin called urushiol, which is also found in poison ivy. Mangoes are safe to juice as long as you remove the skin.
Mangoes aren’t easily available in the US, especially at certain times of the year. You’re guaranteed to find mangoes in Indian grocery stores, but they will probably cost upward of $2 per fruit. Still, I recommend adding the occasional mango to your fruit juice or vegetable juice recipes to enjoy the benefits of this fruit.
10. Grapes
If the only kind of grape juice you’ve enjoyed has been alcoholic, it’s time to add grapes to your shopping list for your next juicing session. Grape juice, like cranberry juice, can fight the bacteria that cause urinary tract infections, and contains antioxidants that may reduce aging, reduce the risk of heart disease and blood clots, and even fight cancer.
Grape juice is very sweet, so it’s best adding it to richer juice from other fruits and vegetables unless you enjoy the sweet flavor. If you prefer to add whole fruits to your juicer and save on the prep work, buy seedless grapes, like green or red table grapes. You can still juice grapes with seeds, but these tend to have a more bitter taste, and seeds can accumulate in your juicer’s strainer and cause blockages.
You can buy grape juice from the store, but real juice made from grapes is usually cheaper and much tastier. Seedless grapes are readily available in most stores, but you’ll need a big batch to yield a full glass of juice, so I recommend adding grapes to your favorite fruits and vegetables in your juicer for a mixed juice.
11. Tomatoes
It’s easy to forget that tomatoes are a fruit, as you probably spend most of your time adding them to savory dishes. But tomato juice is surprisingly sweet, and can add depth and umami to a fruit juice made from more conventional juicing ingredients. Rich in vitamin C, potassium, and B-vitamins, tomato juice is a good source of antioxidants and can support heart health. One glass of tomato juice is low in calories, too, and can be beneficial for people on a weight loss diet.
Tomato juice can be paired with almost any fruit for a delicious, nutrient-dense juice. Lemon juice and other juices from citrus fruits are good choices. Carrot and tomato is a popular combination, and a great source of beta carotene for eye health. Tomato and celery are also a good combination. If you’re unsure, most vegetables pair well with tomato juice.
Beefsteak tomatoes are best for processing in a juicer because they’re big, reducing the prep work you’ll need to do in advance. The tomato is low-cost and available in most stores year-round, making it one of the best fruits for convenience and affordability.
12. Papayas
If you’re struggling with digestion, papaya juice is a good choice for you. Papayas are a good source of papain, an enzyme that our bodies need to break down protein. Juicing papayas daily may be the answer to your digestive problems. Adding a sprig of mint to your papaya juice will help further.
Containing more than 1.5 times the amount of vitamin C we need per day, a single cup of papaya juice can replenish the body’s vitamin C levels. Papaya juice is also anti-inflammatory and a source of antioxidants, and can ward off health issues related to aging.
You can juice papaya in a conventional juicer, which will give you plenty of nutrients without the pulp. However, some people prefer to drink a pulpier juice, and papayas can sometimes struggle in a juicer – so you may need to blend for the best results.
