What’s the easiest fruit to juice?
Juicing fruits and vegetables is a great way to get an extra serving of produce into your diet. Freshly squeezed juice retains most of the vitamins, minerals and plant nutrients found in whole fruits and vegetables. Some fruits are easier to juice than others due to their water and fiber content. When deciding which fruits to juice, consider how much effort it will take to extract the liquid. Let’s take a look at some of the easiest fruits to juice and why they make good juice ingredients.
Citrus Fruits
Oranges, grapefruits, lemons and limes are some of the easiest fruits to juice. Citrus fruits have a high water content which allows their juice to flow freely when pressed or squeezed. The juicy segments easily separate from the membranes so not much chopping or prep work is required before juicing citrus. Here’s a comparison of the juice yields for various citrus fruits:
| Citrus Fruit | Juice Yield |
|---|---|
| Oranges | 45-50% |
| Grapefruit | 45-55% |
| Lemons | 25-30% |
| Limes | 30-40% |
As you can see, oranges and grapefruits tend to produce the highest juice yields. Their soft, thin peels also make them easier to juice compared to the thicker, tougher peels of lemons and limes.
Melons
Melons such as watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew are made up of about 90% water. This high liquid content means melon juice practically flows out of the fruit when pressed. Watermelon has one of the highest juice yields at around 50%. Cantaloupe and honeydew juice yields are slightly lower at 40-45%. Melons require no chopping or prep other than removing the rind before juicing. Their soft, moist flesh blends up easily into a refreshing juice.
Berries
Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries may be small, but their high water content makes them simple to juice. Berries require no peeling or seeding before juicing. Simply rinse them off and add to your juicer. Berries tend to have a juice yield around 50-60%. Their soft textures break down easily and allow for efficient juice extraction. Plus, berry juice tends to be sweeter so you may be able to juice berries alone without adding other fruits.
Pineapple
Pineapple is another fruit that is high in water and easy to juice. After removing the tough outer skin, the inside flesh is soft and juicy. Pineapple averages a juice yield of around 50-60%. It contains the enzyme bromelain which helps break down proteins. This can help improve juice yields when pineapple is mixed with lower moisture fruits. The tropical flavor of pineapple juice is delicious on its own or combined with other fruits and veggies.
Kiwifruit
Fuzzy kiwifruit may seem unlikely for juicing, but their interior green flesh and small black seeds juice up nicely. Kiwis contain lots of water and nutrients. They have a juice yield of around 50%. Simply scoop out the inside flesh from the skin and add to your juicer. The small black seeds blend up smoothly. Kiwi adds a creamy texture and a tangy sweet flavor to fruit and veggie juices.
Mangos
Mangos are juicy stone fruits that produce a thick, tropical juice. After peeling and seeding a mango, the soft orange flesh blends easily into juice. Mangos average around 40% juice yield. Adding some water or another high-moisture fruit helps boost the liquid content when juicing mangos. The resulting juice is smooth and deliciously flavorful.
Grapes
Grapes are small and easy to juice without much prep needed. Simply rinse grapes and add to your juicer. Both red and green grapes juice well, averaging a juice yield around 50-55%. Grapes contain nutrients like polyphenols and vitamin C. Their mild sweetness makes grape juice delicious to drink on its own or combined with veggies and other fruits.
Apples
Apples are a versatile fruit that can be used alone or with other produce when juicing. Their average juice yield is around 50%. Leave the nutrient-rich peel intact when juicing apples. Cut apples into sections and core to remove stems and seeds before adding to your juicer. Tart green apples give a nice flavor balance to sweet fruits and veggies. Sweeter red apples like gala, fuji or honeycrisp also juice well.
Tomatoes
While commonly thought of as a vegetable, tomatoes are technically a fruit. Their high water content makes tomatoes easy to juice. Average juice yield for tomatoes falls between 50-60%. Simply rinse and quarter tomatoes before adding to your juicer. Tomato juice provides vitamins A and C as well as lycopene, an antioxidant. Use tomatoes as the base for savory vegetable juices and gazpacho soup.
Factors that Make Fruits Easy to Juice
When choosing fruits for juicing, opt for varieties that are high in water content and have soft, fleshy textures. Fruits with juice yields over 40% tend to be easiest for juicing. Other factors that make fruits simple to juice include:
- Thin, edible peels (citrus, apples, grapes, kiwi)
- No need to de-seed or de-stem (berries, tomatoes)
- Moist, tender flesh (melons, pineapple)
- Minimal chopping or cutting required
- High enzyme content to aid extraction (pineapple)
Best Practices for Juicing Fruits
Follow these tips to get the most out of fruit juicing:
- Wash fruits thoroughly before juicing.
- Remove any inedible peels, rinds, stems or pits.
- Cut larger fruits like apples into smaller pieces to fit feed tube.
- Alternate between lower and higher moisture fruits.
- Juice softer fruits first, then harder items.
- Combine fruits with veggies to increase nutrients.
- Drink juice immediately after making for best quality.
The Bottom Line
Juicing is an easy way to get more essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants from fruits. Choose fruits that are high in water content with edible peels and soft flesh for best juicing results. Oranges, grapefruit, berries, pineapple, grapes and tomatoes are all great options. Pair fruits with leafy greens and veggies to create nutrient-packed juices. Drink your fruit and veggie juice fresh to maximize the nutrient content.