Should You Peel Ingredients Before Juicing?

To Peel or Not to Peel? The Secret to Making Delicious and Nutritious Juice

Not all fruits and vegetables need to be peeled when juicing. Some skins can be left on because they are beneficial, while others are best peeled.

Things to Consider Before Peeling:

✅ How thick is the skin?
✅ Does the skin have any health benefits?
✅ How does the skin affect the taste of the juice?
✅ Will the skin affect the performance of the juicer?

Let's discover the best way to peel ingredients easily to make your juicing experience more practical and delicious!

Ingredients That Do Not Need to Be Peeled

🍏 Fruits

Apple
Apricot*
Berries (blueberries, strawberries, etc.)
Cherry*
Cucumber
Eggplant
Wine
Lemon
Lime
Nectarines*
Peach*
Pear
Paprika*
Plum*
Tomato
Watermelon
Zucchini

🥕 Vegetables

Bit
Carrot
Ginger
Parsnips
Turnip
Pumpkin
Sweet potato
Turmeric
Turnip

Richer & Fresher Taste

Leaving the skin on fruits like apples, grapes, and berries not only adds nutrients but also enhances the flavor of the juice. Lemon peel, for example, can add a fresh, slightly sour kick that makes the juice more enjoyable.

Health Benefits

Fruit and vegetable skins contain healthy compounds that are high in antioxidants — up to 328 times more than the flesh of the fruit. For example, apple skins have more vitamins K, A, and C, as well as higher levels of calcium and potassium. While not all of the nutrients will be fully absorbed into the juice, keeping the skin on still provides additional nutritional benefits.

Thin, Practical and Efficient Skin

Some ingredients like pears, carrots, and ginger have thin skins that won't clog your juicer. This makes juicing easier without the hassle of peeling them. Make sure to wash all ingredients thoroughly and remove any damaged parts before juicing.

Nutritional Secrets of Watermelon Rind

Did you know? Watermelon rind is actually rich in health benefits! This thick rind contains vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B6, potassium, zinc, chlorophyll, citrulline, lycopene, and phenolic compounds that are good for the body. For a more delicious taste, leave a little of the red flesh on the rind when juicing. This will add a fresh, sweet touch to the final product.

What about Fruit Seeds?

When juicing, it is important to pay attention to whether the fruit seeds need to be removed or can be left in.

🟠 Seeds that are best thrown away

Large or hard seeds in fruits such as:

Mango (hard center)
Hard-seeded fruits such as cherries, apricots, peaches, and plums
Ingredients that are predominantly seeded include peppers, papaya, and pumpkin.

Removing these large seeds is important as they can damage the juicer or make the juice texture uneven.

🟢 Seeds That Are Safe To Leave

Fruits with small seeds such as:

Lemon
Tomato
Zucchini

These small seeds are generally safe to leave in as they do not significantly affect the taste or texture of the juice.

🎯 Choice According to Taste

In some cases, like with lemons, you can choose to leave the seeds in or remove them depending on your preference. Lemon juice with seeds can have a slightly bitter taste, but some people actually like this sensation.

Practical tips: Just wash the ingredients, cut the top and bottom of the fruit, then put it in the juicer. Practical and minimal preparation!

By understanding what to throw away and what is safe to leave, you can enjoy fresher, healthier, and more practical juices. Good luck! 🥤

Yes, it must be peeled.

🥭 Fruits

Cantaloupe
Corn
Honeydew melon
Orange
Grapefruit
Papaya*

Mango*
Pomegranate
Kiwi
Lychee*
Passionfruit
Dragon fruit

🧅 Vegetables

Celeriac
Garlic
Jicama
Kohlrabi

Onion
Pumpkin*
Rutabaga
Yam

Thickness of Fruit & Vegetable Skin When Juicing

🟠 Skin Thickness

Skin thickness is an important factor to consider when juicing. Some ingredients have thick or fibrous skins, which can:
✅ Makes the juicing process difficult
✅ Causes the juicer to clog or stop working

🟠 Skin Texture

In addition to thickness, the rough texture of the skin can also be a challenge when washing the ingredients. Rough textured skin is harder to clean from dirt or harmful chemicals. If you are in doubt whether the skin is completely clean, it is better to just peel it to ensure your juice is safer and more hygienic.

🍹 Juice Flavor

While the skin of the fruit has health benefits, the bitter taste of the skin can affect the taste of your juice. In some cases, this bitter taste can make the juice taste less delicious or even undrinkable.

To ensure better flavor, take a little extra time to peel potentially bitter ingredients. This will result in tastier juice and less waste.

🍍 What about Pineapple?

For pineapples, the decision to peel or not depends on your preference:
✅ Pineapple skin is quite thick, but doesn't easily clog the juicer.
✅ Pineapple skin can actually help push the soft pulp so it doesn't clog the filter.
✅ Pineapple skin contains Vitamin C and bromelain, which are effective in increasing the body's immune system and have anti-inflammatory properties.

💡 Tip: For best results, alternate soft ingredients with hard ingredients when juicing to prevent clogging.

Do You Need to Peel Pineapples or Not?

Making juice with pineapple peel is possible, but there are a few things to keep in mind:
✅ Pineapple skin has a rough texture so it can be quite difficult to clean.
✅ If you don't want to bother washing the skin thoroughly, it's best to peel the pineapple first before juicing it.

💡 Tips to Prevent Juicer Clogs:
To avoid clogging when juicing peeled pineapple, do the following:
1️⃣ Add the pineapple core as the last ingredient or together with other hard ingredients.
2️⃣ The hard texture of the center helps push the soft pulp out so it doesn't clog the juicer.