Types of Fruits & Vegetables to Juice

Juicing is a good way to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your daily diet. While many different types of fruits and vegetables are suitable for juicing, specific combinations and choices exist that provide nutritional benefits. Antioxidant vitamins, B vitamins and minerals such as potassium are a few benefits juicing provides.

Juicing for Dietary and Nutritional Needs

Diets high in fruit and vegetable consumption help contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Juicing is a convenient way to combine several servings of fruits and vegetables to increase dietary intake, however it is generally not recommended as a sole source of nutrition. It is advised that individuals who are new to juicing start with combinations that are easier to digest, such as celery and cucumbers. Gradually add in spinach, red leaf lettuce, cabbage, parsley and kale once the body gets used to the new diet. Apples and carrots are often added to vegetable combinations to improve flavor. Supplements such as flax seed oil, vitamin B12 and protein powder are popular add-ins for vegetarians concerned with protein intake and energy levels.

Juice Combinations with Antioxidants

Individuals seeking to increase their consumption of antioxidant vitamins such as C and E might consider a fruit juice combination of blueberries and blackberries. Other antioxidant rich fruits to use include strawberries, boysenberries, cranberries and pomegranates. Vegetables suitable for juicing that are high in antioxidants include lettuce, parsley and spinach. Romaine lettuce,in particular, is a good source of vitamin C. Darker greens typically provide higher levels of nutritional value over lighter colored lettuce such as iceberg.

Juice Combinations with Vitamins and Minerals

Those who are concerned with their levels of vitamin A and B consumption might juice a combination of kale, spinach and asparagus. Carrots are a solid source of vitamin A and could be used in combination with beets, cucumbers, parsley, celery or spinach. High levels of potassium are obtained by juicing potatoes with parsley, carrots or lettuce. Cucumber juice is a good source of both potassium and magnesium.

Juice Combination Tips

Mixing fruits and vegetables together to make a juice combination is not recommended, however certain exceptions exist. Lettuce and celery are versatile enough to work well with either a fruit or vegetable juice base. While apples are a good addition to many vegetable juice combinations, it is recommended they be used as 80 percent of a vegetable juice mixture. Citrus and melon fruits work best when they are combined with other like fruits.