There’s nothing quite like a cup (or three) of sweet, delicious fruit to transform a juice recipe from “healthy but bleh” to “give me another cup, please.”
So which fruits should you be tossing into your juicer (and blender)? Here are our juicing and blending favorites – their health benefits are every bit as sweet as their taste 😉
As the old adage goes – an apple a day really can keep the doctor away.
This sweet fruit contains flavonols that have been found to have cancer-fighting benefits, as well as antioxidants that’ve been shown to inhibit neurological disorders.
The juicy apricot makes a sweet addition to juice recipes – and it comes with an array of health benefits, too!
It’s a good source of antioxidants vitamin A and C, which maintain the suppleness of the skin and boost collagen production.
Apricots are also dense in fiber (making it great in a smoothie) and will keep you feeling full longer and even help lower bad cholesterol in your body.
You can’t juice these but avocados are a smoothie MUST HAVE.
These babies are so healthy they made it into the Guinness Book of World Records as the most nutritious fruit in the world.
Avocados are anti-inflammatory, skin-health-boosting, heart-healthy wonders. Oh, and they’re chock full of healthy fats – something most fruits and veggies are lacking in. So blend them with your juice recipes, okay?
Again, you can’t juice these but bananas are probably the most blended fruit in the world – they are a true smoothie staple.
And apart from making everything creamy-smooth, they’re also full of health benefits.
These creamy fruits have been found to help relieve allergic reactions as well as to aid in preventing depression! They also boost iron absorption and even restore electrolytes in your body.
If you have problems with your digestive tract, berries are some of the best fruits to juice and blend. They’re easy on the stomach and chock full of soluble fiber.
Blackberries are also one of the richest sources of antioxidants found in nature, which help your body fight off free radicals and toxins.
You’ve probably heard that blueberries pack a powerful antioxidant punch – but did you know that they actually have more antioxidants that any other fruit or veggie tested to date?
Most of the antioxidant power comes from anthocyanin – which also gives the blueberries their color – and carries a range of awesome health benefits.
Sweet, low in calories, and with flavonoids that help your feel full – cantaloupes (check out the recipe for Cantaloupe juice) are a must-have fruit when you’re juicing for weight loss.
But cantaloupe’s health benefits don’t stop there – this lovely fruit is a great source of antioxidants, promotes heart health, and even protects your lungs from pollution.
Cherries are among our favorite “fruits with benefits” to sneak into juice recipes – and for good reason.
They’re naturally bursting with sweetness and come with a whole host of awesome health benefits, too.
For starters, these juicy yummers are one of the best anti-aging foods, chock full of beta carotene, zeaxanthin and lutein, which promote the faster healing of cells and tissues in the body. Cherries also keep your brain young with their high amounts of melatonin that prevent brain degeneration.
Juicing coconuts is not doable, but there are oh, so many ways to enjoy this yummy superfood. Coconuts provide both a very nutritious meat and a electrolyte-laden liquid – each of which blend beautifully into smoothies and come with unique health benefits.
Coconut meat contains the highest amount of lauric acid found in nature, which has been shown to fight harmful fungi, viruses, and bacteria. These medium-chain triglycerides are also metabolism-boosting and shown to aid in weight loss.
To enjoy all the coconut-y benefits, dilute your juices with coconut water instead of regular old H2O, mix fresh coconut milk (made from dried coconut meat and water) into your juice recipes and smoothies, or add a generous tablespoon of coconut oil into your smoothies!
You already know that cranberry juice is a potent, all-natural remedy for urinary tract infections, but did you also know that cranberries are also an effective aid for preventing type-2 diabetes?
And that’s not all – cranberries are loaded with the cancer-fighting anti-oxidant, quercetin, too!
If you happen to live in a part of the world where you can get your hands on dragonfruit – get thee some!
These beautiful fruits are extremely low in calories, highly hydrating, a great source of of B vitamins, chock full of fiber, and even have healthy fats!
You already know red wine is a fantastic source of anti-aging resveratrol, but so is its source: grapes.
Grapes make sweet additions to smoothies and are rich in polyphenols like resveratrol that improve your resistance to cancers, help cells heal faster, and boost heart health.
Grapefruits are indispensable for any weight loss regimen with enzymes that boost your metabolism and flavonoids that help you feel full longer.
But its benefits don’t stop there – grapefruit is a rich source of immune-boosting vitamin C and even contains salicylic acid, which serves to fight bacterial and fungal infections.
Did you know that guava contains 4x more vitamin C than lemon, limes, oranges, or grapefruit?
And that’s not all – the delicious guava is also loaded with pregnancy-helping folate, thyroid-gland-helping copper, and is even laden with flavonoids that help prevent diabetes!
Rich in vitamin C and folate, honeydew is a sweet immunity-booster and protector from cellular damage.
Interestingly, this delicious fruit has also been found to inhibit the release of the stress hormone, cortisol – meaning less anxiety and even depression.
The sweet, tart kiwi contains an enzyme, actinidain, that boosts digestion as well as compounds that protect the colon, making kiwis one of the best fruits for digestive health.
Kiwis are also very rich in immune-boosting (and have some good juicing recipes too), skin-health-promoting vitamin C and even has antiseptic qualities!
Lemons and limes are loaded with vitamin C and their high acidity helps keep our bodies’ pH levels optimal.
These citrus fruits are also loaded with flavonoids that keep you regular as well as phytochemicals that strengthen your hair and nails!
We all know mangoes are damn delicious – but do you know how great these sweet fruits are for your health as well?
The sweet mango is packing potent antioxidants that help inhibit the growth and development of cancer cells, as well as help your cells repair themselves faster.
They’re also loaded with fiber, enzymes and active compounds that boost digestion and even ward off diabetes!
Oranges keep you young – and not just ’cause its vitamin C content.
Oranges are also rich in the phytochemical, narigenin, which helps neutralize cellular damage in the body and even helps clear up scars and prevent wrinkles by aiding the rejuvenation of skin tissue!
The succulent papaya is a rich source of vitamins A & C, as well as folate. Its also abundant in phytochemicals like lutein and zeaxanthin which helps our bodies fight off free radicals.
But what’s particularly great about the papaya is that its active enzymes boost digestion and fight inflammations in the body.
Did you know that peaches have compounds that can protect against urinary tract infections when consumed on a regular basis?
And that’s not all – peaches also maintain the natural flexibility of our veins and arteries, have anti-cancer benefits, and even help reduce anxiety!
Described by Homer as a “gift from the gods,” pears are truly a boon for your health.
They contain flavonoids and phytochemicals that help your body better metabolize glucose and improve your digestion.
Pears are also a great source of essential minerals that keep your blood pressure stable and maintain the strength of your bones and teeth.
Take one look at the rich orange color of persimmons and you already know that this fruit is teeming with eyesight-protecting, skin-health-boosting beta carotene.
Persimmons are also loaded with antioxidants and phytochemicals that ward off viruses, promote faster wound healing and even improve digestion.
Blessed with a tart natural sweetness, pineapples also have a host of other health benefits worth knowing about.
For starters, pineapples are laden with bromelain, which boosts digestion by helping your stomach break down proteins faster.
This is good news for those with sensitive stomachs as bromelain also promotes optimal gastric acid levels to prevent digestive disorders like ulcers.
Plums are heavy with antioxidant content, like lycopene and beta-carotene which work cancer-fighting, eye-health-protecting, anti-aging wonders for your body.
Plums are also a great source of essential minerals that protect your heart, keep your blood pressure stable, and even help your body flush out harmful toxins.
Pomegranate are well-known for their heart-health-boosting power.
That’s ’cause these fruits are rich in an antioxidant called punicalagin which maintains the elasticity of blood vessels and prevents plaque on the arterial walls.
But pomegranate’s health benefits extend outside the heart – find out more benefits!
Like most berries, raspberries are bursting with potent antioxidants that help boost your immune system and aid your body in eliminating free radicals.
But in addition to these antioxidants, raspberries are also packed with hydroxybenzoic acids that have the ability to ward off harmful bacteria and viruses – they’ve even been found to have anti-cancer properties.
Strawberries are rich in cancer-fighting, age-delaying antioxiants as well as hydroxybenzoic acids that ward off bacterial and viral infections.
Interestingly, these berries are also packed with antioxidants that have been shown to reduce the release of cortisol, the stress hormone.
When you think ‘lycopene,’ you might think ‘tomatoes’ – but did you know that watermelon contains more lycopene (that awesome cancer-fighting, skin-protecting antioxidant) than tomatoes?
And that’s not all – watermelons also helps keep your cells nourished, your veins and arteries naturally elastic, and your immune system in top-top shape.
