Juicing is an art form that can bring out the best in fruits—but let’s be honest, some combinations are downright disastrous. While mixing fruits often leads to vibrant, refreshing drinks, other times it results in a murky mess with questionable flavors.
So, to save your taste buds from trauma and your juicer from an identity crisis, we’re uncovering the nine fruits you should never juice together. Ready for the juicy truth? Let’s dive in!
1. Orange and banana
Individually, these fruits are amazing—orange is zesty and refreshing, while banana is creamy and sweet. But together? Disaster. Their textures clash, creating a gloopy, sticky juice that’s more like baby food than a drink.
The acidic tang of the orange also curdles the banana’s smoothness, leaving a sour aftertaste that’s hard to forget. Save this duo for smoothies, where their unique qualities can shine in harmony with a little help from yogurt or milk.
2. Watermelon and banana
Bananas are back on the list, and this time they’ve teamed up with watermelon to form a juice catastrophe. Watermelon’s high water content makes it a refreshing base for juices, but the banana’s thick, starchy texture turns it into a chunky sludge.
Plus, the flavors don’t complement each other—watermelon’s light sweetness is overwhelmed by the banana’s boldness. What you’re left with is a gritty, unappetizing drink. Keep these two apart unless you’re going for an experimental kitchen flop.
3. Grapefruit and strawberry
On paper, grapefruit and strawberry sound like a tangy-sweet dream team. In reality, this combo is a tart-tanic disaster. Grapefruit’s bitterness overpowers the delicate sweetness of strawberries, leaving a flavor profile that’s more sour than sensational.
Not to mention, the high acidity of both fruits can be rough on your stomach if you’re drinking this on an empty one. Spare yourself the pucker face and keep these fruits in separate juicing sessions.
4. Papaya and lemon
Papaya’s tropical vibe is warm, creamy, and mild, while lemon is sharp, tangy, and acidic. When you juice them together, you don’t get a happy tropical punch—you get a weirdly sour smoothie that tastes like spoiled milk.
The citric acid in lemon reacts with papaya’s enzymes, giving the drink a funky taste and smell. If you’re in the mood for tropical, stick with papaya on its own or pair it with non-acidic fruits like melon.
5. Kiwi and milk-based fruits
Juicing kiwi with creamy fruits like banana or avocado might sound inventive, but it’s a recipe for disaster. Kiwi’s natural acidity curdles the creaminess of these fruits, creating a juice that’s as lumpy as it is sour.
The bright, tart flavor of kiwi clashes horribly with the subtle richness of milk-based fruits, leaving you with a drink that’s both confusing and unpalatable. If you want kiwi in your juice, pair it with similarly tangy fruits like pineapple or green apple.
6. Mango and orange
Mango and orange might seem like tropical besties, but in juice form, they’re more like frenemies. Mango’s thick, luscious sweetness doesn’t blend well with orange’s tangy, liquidy texture, resulting in a pulpy, unbalanced mess.
Also, the combination of their natural sugars can make the juice overly sweet to the point of being cloying. Keep mango and orange in their separate flavor lanes to avoid a juicing catastrophe.
7. Apple and avocado
Apples are crisp and refreshing, while avocados are creamy and smooth—sounds promising, right? Wrong.
When juiced, apples and avocados create a texture that’s uncomfortably thick and slimy, more like a soup than a drink. Flavor-wise, the avocado’s mild earthiness doesn’t play well with the apple’s sweetness, leaving a weirdly bland aftertaste. Save this combo for a smoothie bowl, not your juicer.
8. Pineapple and milk-based fruits
Pineapple’s tangy tropical flavor is a crowd-pleaser, but when combined with milk-based fruits like banana or avocado, things get weird fast. The pineapple’s acidity reacts with the creamy fruits, creating a gritty, curdled juice that’s as unappealing to look at as it is to drink.
The overpowering tartness of the pineapple also drowns out the subtle flavors of the milk-based fruits. Stick to blending pineapple with other tropical fruits like mango or coconut for a smoother sip.
9. Tomato and peach
Tomato and peach might sound like an adventurous pairing, but this experiment belongs in the “never again” pile. Tomato’s savory tang completely overshadows the peach’s light sweetness, creating a flavor combination that’s more awkward than a bad blind date.
The textures don’t mix well either, leaving you with a juice that’s lumpy and unpleasant. Keep your tomatoes for savory juices and your peaches for sweet ones—trust us, your palate will thank you.
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