Apple juice is delicious. It’s sweet and has a tart flavor, which makes it the perfect combination of tasty and refreshing.
It’s even better when you’ve made it yourself!
Fresh apple juice is amazing on its own and when you combine it with other fruits and veggies to make your favorite juice recipes or smoothies. However, a big part of making the best apple juice possible is using the right kind of apples.
But what are the best apples for juicing? Golden or red delicious? Green or red apples? Luckily, I have the answer!
Gala apples are the gold standard for making apple juice, in my opinion. They produce sweet juice, they’re affordable and are available pretty much year-round.
However, if you enjoy a more tart flavor, then Granny Smith apples are the way to go. Not the best flavor in my opinion but to each there own. However, most other appls you have in the house will work, so don’t get too worried.
If you’re lucky enough to have an apple tree in your back yard, then get them picked and in your juicer – they’ll taste great.
I’m going to share some information with you about the different types of apples you can choose between when you’re juicing apples yourself and which of them is the perfect pick for you!
In This Article
Are Green Or Red Apples Better For Juicing?
This is probably the main difference you already know about when it comes to apples – some are red and some are green.
But what’s the difference between them, aside from the color?
Red and green apples actually offer different health benefits. Green apples have a lower sugar content than red ones but red apples usually have more antioxidants in them.
The differences between the nutritional content are pretty minimal. If health is your focus, then the color of apple you choose won’t actually make much of a difference. Both apple varieties have high amounts of Vitamin C, fiber and flavanoids.
However, if you’re focusing on taste, then this varies a great deal between red and green types of apple. Red apples are sweet apples, while a green apple is a tart apple. It really comes down to personal preference when it comes to taste. I have a sweet tooth, so red apples are my favorite. I have friends who only ever juice Granny Smiths because they actively try to avoid sweet thing – so it’s up to you!
In short: choose red apples for a sweet taste; green apples for tartness; and either one for a healthy choice.
The 3 Best Apples For Juicing
This is a quick rundown of the 3 best apples for juicing. I don’t want to overcomplicate things by going through all 10 different apple varieties! So here’s what you need to know.
1. Gala Apples
Gala apples are an easy top choice of the best apple for juicing. They’re sweet, they’re tasty and they’re cheap. Plus, they are super common apples, so you can buy them pretty much anywhere in the United States at a great price.
They’re a good size and produce an excellent amount of juice – the perfect choice of red apple. They’re popular apples for a reason!
2. Granny Smith Apples
Did you know, Granns smith apples are named after Maria Ann Smith, a British-Australian orchardist? Now you do!
If red apples and a sweet taste isn’t what you’re looking for, then opt for a Granny Smith apple. It has a tart flavor and works perfectly in green juice recipes.
They’re also very juicy and actually tend to be bigger than Gala apples, so you don’t need to buy too many to get a high juice yield.
These are also common apples and are affordable – another excellent choice, that offers a very different flavor.
3. Red Delicious Apples
While this is the most common type of apple in America, it’s actually no longer the most popular.
Red delicious apples are a bit different to the Golden Delicious apples. They vary from a bright red skin to a really deep red and have a mildly sweet flavor, which works really well in fresh juice.
Because these are the most common type of apple, these are really easy to get your hands on and so one of teh best for juicing.
4. Whatever’s Convenient!
Apples are a great ingredient for making fresh juice, no matter the type you go for! Fuiji apples, honeycrisp apples, even the Ralls Janet apple variety. Once you start looking you’ll be surprsied how many apple varieties there are.
If you come across a particular variety of apple that’s on sale or on deal, then stock up – I’m sure they’ll work great. Likewise, if you have an apple tree in the back yard, then use them!
There are so many different types and so many combinations of apple varieties that have been created, it can be overwhelming. Golden Delicious and Orange Red Kidd’s apples have been combined to create a whole new type of apple, for example. When you have so much choice like this, it can be difficult to navigate.
Most apples aren’t an expensive ingredient, so it’s possible to try out a few different varieties to find out what you like. Maybe a Pink Lady will be the one for you? Or maybe you’re a Golden Delicious kind of person? What if Fuji Apples are your perfect fit? You’ll be able to work that out without it costing you a fortune.
If you’re interested in finding out more about making your own apple juice, then check out my guide here.
Can You Juice Apple Seeds?
You can, but I don’t and here’s why.
When you break down apple seeds, they produce a chemical called amygdalin. When this reaches all the chemical reactions happening inside your stomach, it can be transformed into cyanide.
Tiny amounts of cyanide can be detoxified by your body, so don’t panic – you would need to eat an awful lot of apple seeds before you’d experience any problems. However, I just avoid them completely.
The seeds and stalks of apples can make your juice taste quite bitter, which I don’t like.
You can get an apple corer cheap on Amazon and it only takes a few seconds to remove the core of an apple.
Tips for Buying Apples For Juicing
1. Make Sure They’re Firm
Go for apples that are as fresh as possible. The best way to check whether or not your apples are fresh is to give them a squeeze. They should feel firm when you do this. If your apple feels soft, then it won’t last much longer and won’t produce nice juice. When it comes to juicing, try to use apples that would make a crunching sound when you bit into them.
2. Avoid Visual Defects
Don’t buy or use apples that have gouges in them or brown patches on their skin. If your nose wrinkles when you see an apple – don’t juice it! Go for perfectly ripe apples instead.
Most grocery stores will make sure that the apples they have on display look appealing, otherwise they wouldn’t be able to sell any! Still, make sure you check before you buy.
3. Look For Great Color
Your apples should have a vibrant color, whether it’s green or red. Bright reds, yellows and greens are the way to go. When you look at an apple, it should almost look back at you!
Basically, if your apple looks appealing and you want to eat it – it’ll be fine for juicing.
Choose Organic Apples If Possible
Organic apples, specifically the red delicious variety are my favororite. These make the most delicious tasting juice but other apples are great too of course.
Yes, organic is more expensive so if you can’t do it then don’t worry. Most apples will give you a flavorful juice, as long as it isn’t a cooking apple!
Frequently asked Questions
Are Honeycrisp apples good for juicing?
They absolutely are! Honeycrisps offer a sweet and tart flavor in your juice.
What apples are best for green juice?
Any of the apples we talk about here are the perfect apple variety for green juice. But I prefer a green apple in mine.
How many apples in a glass of apple juice?
Juicing 4 apples should give you a an 8 ox glass of apple juice depending on the quality of your juicer and the size of the apples.
Conclusion
I don’t think there’s a single type of apple that’s bad for juicing, except maybe crabapples or any of the other small, sour ones. Any apple you can pick up in a grocery store, that you would happily eat on its own, is going to taste great in your fresh pressed juice.
Just remember to make sure you buy enough apples if you’re looking for a whole glass of apple juice. Generally you need about 3 or 4 to make 8 ounces of apple juice. But don’t go over board because of the high sugar count in a glass of apple juice.
Whether you go traditional or get apples from other countries like New Zealand or Japan I with you happy juicing. I couldn’t find Red Blush to try so if you try it let me know! And let me know how you get on with making your own apple juice, especially if you’ve found your perfect apple variety. Share your experiences with me in the comments below.
Happy Juicing!
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