Blend Bliss: Unveiling the Top 20 Fruit Combinations for the Ultimate Smoothie Experience!
I've been making smoothies for over 6 years now and, one question I'm asked all the time is: what are the best fruit combinations for smoothies?
With so many delicious options, the possible mixtures can seem endless. But not all fruits blend together optimally. The key is finding combinations that create balanced nutrition and appetizing flavors.
In this article, I'll share my top 20 fruit combos for crafting nutritious, great-tasting smoothies. Whether you're looking to up your nutrient intake or simply make a refreshing beverage, these mixtures will have you sipping fruity goodness in no time.
Let's dive in!
Why Fruit Combinations Matters
Choosing complementary fruits for your juices and smoothies is important for two key reasons: nutrition and taste.
Maximize Nutrition
Certain fruits contain higher concentrations of important vitamins, antioxidants, and disease-fighting phytochemicals than others. Skillfully combining fruits with complementary nutritional profiles can result in juices and smoothies that are truly packed with health-boosting compounds.
For example, blending vitamin C-rich citrus fruits with fiber-filled apples makes for a well-rounded nutritional beverage. Pairing antioxidant-loaded berries with potassium-heavy bananas creates a smoothie that really helps meet your daily needs.
Optimize Taste
The right fruit pairings also lend themselves to balanced, appetizing flavor profiles. Sweeter, more mild-tasting fruits nicely complement tart, tangy varieties to create a pleasant, complex sweet-and-sour taste.
Think tropical mango blending beautifully with zesty lime or gentle peach mixing deliciously with bright raspberry. Certain fruits have strong flavors that can become overpowering or clash unpleasantly when combined in large quantities. But finding fruits that expertly accent each other's natural flavors prevents this issue.
Overall, carefully choosing fruit combinations is the key to crafting beverages that are as nutritious and tasty as possible. So without further ado, here are my top picks for fruit pairings best suited to juicing, blending, and smoothie-making!
20 Best Fruit Combinations for Smoothies
1. Banana + Mixed Berries
This is smoothie perfection defined. Creamy, ripe bananas provide filling fiber and potassium while mixed berries supply antioxidants and vitamin C.
Balance the sweetness of bananas with your berry mix of choice. I love combining bananas with raspberries for their tart bite, strawberries for their bright sweetness, and blueberries for fruity depth. Or opt for a berry blend to get
the best of everything!
Banana and berries make for an adaptable base you can customize further with nut butters, oats, or leafy greens. This combo satisfies without weighing you down.
2. Pineapple + Mango
Tropical pineapple and mango blend together beautifully. Pineapple offers a sweet tanginess and bright citrusy notes while mango provides a rich, creamy texture.
Together they create a sunny vitamin C and enzyme-packed smoothie that whisks your tastebuds away to the tropics with every sip. I like to enhance the tropical flavors further by adding a squeeze of lime.
3. Peaches + Cherries
The delightful combination of juicy peaches and sweet cherries results in a luscious, antioxidant-rich smoothie. Peaches contain vitamins A and C as well as niacin while cherries boast inflammation-reducing compounds.
For best texture, use frozen pitted cherries and simply add peach slices before blending. The frozen cherries create a thick, almost milkshake-like consistency. To make it creamier, swap water for a dairy or non-dairy milk.
Related article - What Fruits and Veggies Juice Well Together? 10 Tasty Combinations
4. Blueberries + Pomegranate
This fruit pairing packs a nutritious punch! Tart, deep blueberries get a boost from sweet-tart pomegranate juice. Together, these antioxidant all-stars unite to create a gorgeous purple smoothie brimming with hydration.
I love using 100% pomegranate juice and wild blueberries for intense flavor. But feel free to lighten it up with coconut water or extra ice. Add spinach or kale to get even more nutrients in one powerhouse beverage.
5. Apple + Cranberries
This combo balances tart cranberries with subtly sweet apple juice for a refreshing sip. Cranberries provide vitamin C and antioxidants, while apples offer fiber and sweetness.
For added hydration, I sometimes use cranberry juice blended with water. To enhance the flavors, add a squeeze of lime or orange juice, along with ice. The apple mellows out the cranberries fabulously.
6. Watermelon + Pineapple
Hydrating watermelon paired with refreshing pineapple makes for an ultra-drinkable smoothie. Watermelon provides vitamins A and C along with lycopene while pineapple adds the sweetness.
I love that this smoothie combo is simple, light, and refreshing. The juiciness of the watermelon blended with pineapple is perfectly satisfying on a hot day. For some zing, I’ll add lime or mint.
Related article - 10 Refreshing Watermelon Juice Recipe Combinations to Try at Home
7. Dragonfruit + Orange
Vibrantly hued pink dragonfruit packs an antioxidant punch when paired with bright, citrusy orange.
Dragonfruit offers immunity-boosting vitamin C, lycopene, and betalains for reducing inflammation. Orange provides vitamin C and beleric acid to combat free radicals. Paired together, they make for a nutrient-dense, tropical-flavored smoothie.
8. Green Grapes + Peaches
Sweet green grapes accent peaches’ delicate floral notes perfectly in this smoothie. Both grapes and peaches contain beneficial polyphenols and vitamin C.
For extra nutrition, I love to mix in leafy greens like spinach or kale, which get masked beautifully by the fruits. The grapes add just enough sweetness to balance the greens.
9. Blackberries + Plums
Luscious, deep blackberries blended with sweet plums create an intensely satisfying smoothie experience. Blackberries offer immune-boosting vitamin C and plums provide fiber for digestion.
I like using frozen blackberries and pitted plums for creamy texture. The combination of vitamin C, antioxidants and anthocyanins in this smoothie is off the charts!
10. Strawberries + Pineapple
This is a classic flavor pairing that satisfies every time. Juicy, ripe strawberries and sweet tropical pineapple complement each other brilliantly.
Strawberries provide an excellent source of vitamin C and manganese. Pineapple offers bromelain enzymes plus vitamin C. Together they create a vibrant, nutrition-packed blend.
Related article - What Fruits Go Well With Beetroot Juice?
11. Kiwis + Apples
Refreshingly tart kiwis get perfectly balanced by subtly sweet apples. Kiwis offer a stellar amount of vitamin C – even more than oranges! Apples provide fiber for digestion, as well as vitamin C.
For best texture, I recommend peeling the kiwis first. And opt for crisp apples like Fuji, Pink Lady or Honeycrisp. The apples mellow out the tartness fabulously.
12. Grapefruit + Lime
Give your morning smoothie an extra dose of vitamin C by blending bold grapefruit with zesty lime juice. I love the combination of sweet and tart.
Grapefruits offer cancer-fighting antioxidants like lycopene and limonoids. Limes provide flavonoids and antioxidants. Together they make for an energizing, immunity-boosting drink.
13. Cherries + Pomegranate
Both tart cherries and sweet pomegranate offer stellar health benefits, from antioxidants to anti-inflammatory compounds. Their flavors intermingle beautifully as well.
For best texture, use frozen, pitted cherries. 100% pomegranate juice adds a burst of tangy sweetness and gorgeous color. Enjoy their bounty of vitamins and minerals in one refreshing sip.
Related article - What Fruit Goes Well With Watermelon In Smoothies?
14. Mango + Apricot
Creamy mango gets a texture boost from pulpy, tender apricots. Mangoes provide vision-protecting vitamins A and C. Apricots offer beta carotene for your immune system.
Together, they make for a sunny, tropical-flavored smoothie. I recommend using fresh apricots when in season and substituting dried, rehydrated ones the rest of the year.
15. Blackberries + Sour Cherries
Give your taste buds a treat by blending antioxidant-rich blackberries with tangy sour cherries. This slightly tart duo makes for a gorgeous summery purple smoothie.
Blackberries offer fiber, vitamins C, K, and manganese. Sour cherries boast anti-inflammatory compounds to help post-workout recovery. Enjoy their benefits and deep flavors.
16. Strawberries + Nectarines
Juicy red strawberries blended with sweet white nectarines create a beautiful blush-colored sip. Strawberries provide vitamin C and manganese. Nectarines offer potassium and beta carotene.
I like to add a squeeze of lemon to brighten up the flavors. For more texture, toss in some crushed ice. This is like summer in a glass!
Related article - 9 Tasty Smoothie Bases: The Best Liquids for Making Delicious Smoothies
17. Asian Pear + Grape
Buttery soft Asian pears combine excellently with bold, ripe red grapes. Asian pears offer antioxidants along with vitamins C and K. Grapes provide vitamin C, potassium and phytonutrients.
The soft pear texture blends smoothly while the grapes add a refreshing burst of sweetness. Together they make a subtly sweet, nutritious smoothie.
18. Plums + Blueberries
Earthy plums provide a nice balance to sweet blueberries in this antioxidant-rich smoothie. Plums offer polyphenols for heart health along with vitamin C. Blueberries contain phytochemicals for brain and immune function.
I recommend peeling plums to avoid the skin getting caught in your teeth. Paired with blueberries, they make for a satisfying and nutritious blend.
19. Watermelon + Strawberries
Hydrating watermelon combined with juicy strawberries makes for a mouthwatering smoothie pairing. Watermelon provides vitamin A, C and antioxidants. Strawberries offer manganese and immune-boosting polyphenols.
Blend up this duo for the perfect post-workout recovery beverage. The watermelon offers hydration while the berries supply nutrients to refuel your muscles.
20. Peaches + Pineapple
It's hard to top the delicious combination of sweet, juicy peaches blended with refreshing pineapple. Peaches contain zeaxanthin and vitamin C. Pineapple offers manganese and bromelain enzymes.
Together they create a sunny, satisfying smoothie. I like to add a squeeze of lime juice to enhance the tropical flavors. The creaminess of the peaches balances the tangy pineapple perfectly.
Conclusion
Finding ideal fruit pairings is the key to crafting fresh juices and smoothies that are as nutritious and appetizing as possible. Use refreshing blends like grapefruit and orange for juices, and fruity crowd-pleasers like banana, strawberry and pineapple for smoothies.
And be sure to avoid combos like kiwi and pineapple that end up muting flavors. With these 20 juicing and smoothie fruit pairing recommendations, you can blend, juice and sip your way to better health and hydration one tasty glass at a time!
Let me know in the comments if you have a favorite fruit combination I should try out next. I'm always experimenting to find new, delicious fruit pairings.
About the Author:
Gavin is the owner of Tru Foo Juice bar. He has over 6 years experience of running a juice bar and creating juice and smoothie recipes for the consumer market.
