What fruits and vegetables should not be juiced together? Your guide to smarter juicing

October 11, 2025 •

4 min read

According to one expert, mixing certain fruits and vegetables in a juice can lead to delayed digestion and discomfort. If you're a fan of juicing, understanding what fruits and vegetables should not be juiced together can be key to maximizing nutrient absorption and avoiding unpleasant side effects like gas and bloating.

Quick Summary

This article explains how different digestion times and enzymatic needs make some fruit and vegetable combinations problematic for juicing. It details specific pairings to avoid for better digestion and nutrient absorption.

Key Points

Avoid mixing fruits and vegetables: Different digestion times can cause fermentation, leading to bloating and gas.
Separate acidic and sweet fruits: Combining citrus fruits with sweet fruits can create digestive issues due to varying digestion speeds.
Do not juice bananas or avocados: Their creamy texture and low liquid content will clog most juicers and are better suited for smoothies.
Be cautious with high-oxalate greens: Juicing large amounts of kale and spinach with calcium-rich foods can hinder absorption and potentially contribute to kidney stone formation.
Keep it simple for better digestion: Use a base of water-rich vegetables like cucumber or celery with a few compatible ingredients to improve nutrient absorption and reduce digestive load.
Consider the 80/20 rule for sugar control: Aim for 80% vegetables and 20% fruit in your juice to manage sugar content and blood sugar spikes.

The Science Behind Incompatible Juicing

The principles of food combining, rooted in concepts like Ayurveda and modern nutritional science, suggest that different foods require varying digestive environments and times to break down. When you mix incompatible foods, you can create a "traffic jam" in your stomach that hinders efficient digestion. This is especially true when it comes to juicing, where fiber is often removed, leading to faster processing of sugars and other nutrients.

The Digestion Time Clash

One of the main reasons to avoid mixing certain produce is the difference in how quickly your body processes them. Fruits, especially those high in simple sugars, are digested much faster than denser vegetables, which contain complex fibers. When a fast-digesting fruit juice is combined with a slow-digesting vegetable juice, the fruit can get held up in the stomach, where it ferments. This fermentation can lead to gas, bloating, and other digestive discomforts.

Enzymatic Conflict

Your body uses different enzymes to break down different types of macronutrients, and these enzymes function best at specific pH levels. For example, the protein-digesting enzyme pepsin works in the stomach's highly acidic environment, while starches require a more alkaline setting. While fruits contain minimal protein and starches, the principle applies to other clashes. Combining very acidic fruits with non-acidic vegetables can disrupt the optimal enzymatic process.

Specific Incompatible Juicing Pairs to Avoid

High-Oxalate Greens and Calcium Sources

While leafy greens are healthy, juicing large quantities of high-oxalate greens like spinach, kale, and chard is best done with caution, especially if you have a history of kidney stones. The oxalates can bind to calcium, potentially forming kidney stones over time, particularly for sensitive individuals. For example, juicing high-oxalate spinach with a calcium-rich dairy product is not recommended due to absorption conflicts. A better approach is to rotate your greens and limit your intake of high-oxalate juices.

Bananas and Avocados (for Juicing Machines)

These are not incompatible due to digestion but are unsuitable for standard juicers. They lack sufficient liquid and have a thick, creamy consistency that will clog the machine. These are best reserved for smoothies, not juicing. If you want a banana-flavored juice, a smoothie made in a blender and possibly strained is the way to go.

Acidic and Sweet Fruits

Mixing highly acidic fruits like lemons and oranges with very sweet fruits like ripe bananas or mangoes can be problematic for some. The different digestion rates can lead to fermentation and gas. For optimal results, stick to combining fruits of similar acidity or keeping fruit juices separate from vegetable juices.

Papaya and Lemon

One less common but notable combination to avoid is papaya with lemon. Some traditional and alternative health sources warn that this combination can lead to hemoglobin imbalance, which can be particularly dangerous for children. While scientific consensus is mixed, it's a commonly cited combination to avoid.

A Comparison of Juicing Pairings

To help you visualize, here is a comparison table of smart vs. incompatible juicing combinations.


Juicing Goal	Smart Combinations	Incompatible Combinations	Rationale
Green Juice	Leafy greens (kale, spinach), cucumber, celery, green apple, lemon	Spinach (high oxalate) with dairy	Avoids calcium absorption issues; leafy greens digest faster when paired with other water-rich vegetables.
Sweet Juice	Berries, orange, apple, pear	Orange and banana; pineapple and watermelon	Mixing fruits with similar digestion times reduces fermentation; pineapple and watermelon have different properties.
Digestive Health	Apple, carrot, ginger	Heavy meals with fruit juice	Ginger aids digestion; fruit should be consumed alone to prevent fermentation.
Hydration	Cucumber, celery, lemon, mint	None (if kept simple)	Water-rich vegetables and herbs are naturally hydrating and digest well together.

Juicing for Optimal Digestion

For those sensitive to certain food combinations, it is often recommended to consume fruit and vegetable juices separately or to stick to simple, compatible combinations. A good rule of thumb is the 80/20 rule: 80% vegetables and 20% fruit to keep the sugar content low and reduce the risk of a blood sugar spike.

For most people, mixing a small amount of fruit with vegetables for flavor is not harmful. However, for those with digestive sensitivities, conditions like gastroparesis, or a focus on specific nutritional goals, separating your juices may yield better results. Listening to your body is always the most important factor.

Tips for Better Juicing Combinations

Stick with Simple Combinations: Start with 2-4 ingredients and expand as you learn what works for your body.
Pair Greens with Water-Rich Veggies: A base of cucumber or celery works well with leafy greens.
Use Apples for Sweetness: A green apple is often considered a neutral fruit that pairs well with many vegetable juices.
Drink Immediately: Freshly made juice is best consumed right away to maximize nutrients and avoid bacterial growth.
Consider a Blender: For thicker ingredients like bananas, use a blender and strain the mixture instead of a traditional juicer.

Conclusion

While juicing can be a fantastic way to boost your nutrient intake, understanding what fruits and vegetables should not be juiced together is crucial for avoiding digestive distress and maximizing benefits. The principles of food combining, focusing on digestion times and enzyme compatibility, offer a sensible framework for creating effective juice recipes. By being mindful of certain incompatible pairings—such as sweet and acidic fruits, or high-oxalate greens with calcium—and opting for simpler, balanced combinations, you can ensure a more pleasant and beneficial juicing experience. Always pay attention to how your body reacts and adjust your recipes accordingly for optimal health.

For a deeper dive into the principles of food pairing and digestion, explore resources like those from nutrition and wellness experts that explain the ancient and modern science behind these concepts.

Frequently Asked Questions

While it is physically possible, it is not always recommended. Some health coaches advise against it due to the difference in digestion times between fruits (fast) and vegetables (slow), which can cause fermentation, gas, and bloating.

Mixing fruits with significantly different acidity levels and digestion times can interfere with proper digestion. Acidic fruits can slow down the digestion of sweet fruits, leading to fermentation and digestive discomfort.

Combining foods with different digestive needs can overwhelm the digestive system. For instance, some foods need an acidic environment while others need an alkaline one. When mixed, they can inhibit enzymatic activity and lead to incomplete digestion.

Yes, adding a small amount of fruit, like a green apple or lemon, to a vegetable juice is generally fine and can improve the taste. The goal is to keep the fruit-to-vegetable ratio low, around 20% fruit to 80% vegetables, to minimize sugar content and digestive issues.

Starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn, or high-protein vegetables like spinach and broccoli, are not ideal to mix with fruits. Starches and proteins require different digestive environments and can cause digestive disturbance when combined.

Safe combinations include grouping similar items together, such as all vegetables or all fruits. For instance, mixing green leafy vegetables with cucumber and celery is generally well-tolerated. For a balanced juice, a base of green veggies with a single, compatible fruit like a green apple works well.

For most people, mixing is not dangerous, but it can lead to uncomfortable symptoms like gas, bloating, and indigestion. For individuals with sensitive digestive systems or specific conditions, improper combining can worsen symptoms. For instance, excessive juicing of high-oxalate greens could pose a risk for those prone to kidney stones.