V8 Has Been Around for Decades, but Is It Actually Healthy? Here’s What Registered Dietitians Think
Give this a read before you take your next sip.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only one in 10 adults eats the recommended 1.5 cups of fruit and two to three cups of vegetables a day. If you aren’t able to eat all the fruit and veggies you need, it’s logical to think that drinking them may be the next best thing. It’s certainly the mentality behind V8, a line of beverage drinks.
V8 is most famously known for its Original Vegetable Juice, made with juice sourced from tomatoes, carrots, celery, beets, parsley, lettuce, watercress and spinach. It certainly sounds healthy, but is it actually? Here, registered dietitians set the record straight, and also sound off on the brand’s other offerings.
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Is V8 Original Vegetable Juice Healthy?
Below is a run-down of the nutritional content of V8 Original:
V8 Original Nutrition Facts (for an 8 oz. serving):
Calories: 45
Total fat: 0 g
Sodium: 640 mg
Carbohydrates: 9 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sugar: 7 g
Protein: 3 g
Calcium: 50 mg
Iron: 1.1 mg
Potassium: 680 mg
Vitamin A: 260 mcg
Vitamin C: 100 mg
V8 Original 100% Vegetable Juice, Vegetable Blend with Tomato Juice, 11.5 FL OZ Can (Pack of 24)
Looking at the nutrition facts, registered dietitian Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, owner of Plant Based with Amy and Master the Media, says that V8 Original vegetable juice has a good amount of potassium, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Potassium, she says, is helpful for decreasing blood pressure if someone has high levels, while Vitamin A and Vitamin C both support the immune system.
“The vitamin C amount is higher than what you would get from eating a single orange and meets a daily recommended intake,” says Jenna Stangland, MS RD, co-founder of A4 Health and the team dietitian for the Minnesota Timberwolves. While, like Gorin, she agrees that the vitamin A and potassium content is beneficial, she says it’s still important to get these nutrients through other sources during the day to meet the daily recommended amounts. “While this V8 doesn’t provide a significant contribution to your daily vitamin A needs, you could pair it with an orange-colored fruit or vegetable snack and get closer to your goal,” Stangland explains. As for the potassium, she says that someone would need to drink a lot of V8 to get the full amount for the day. “The daily needs are over 4,000 milligrams and V8 has 320 milligrams,” she says.
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As you can see from the nutrition panel, V8 also has fiber and protein. While both dietitians say that the amounts are small, they’re still noteworthy. “Two grams of protein is an impressive amount for a juice,” Gorin says. “I wouldn’t drink V8 because of the protein and fiber content, but I would consider these nutrients a bonus, and drinking the juice will add to your overall intake of them,” she says, adding that the same goes for the drinks' calcium content.
While V8 Original does have many great health benefits, Gorin does say that it does have one pitfall: sodium content. She says that the 640 milligrams of sodium in one serving of the juice is what she would cap for an entire meal. However, Stangland says that if someone is an athlete and sweats a lot, the sodium can be helpful in replenishing what is lost during a workout. “The drink can be an excellent option to deliver quick carbs, sodium and hydration to the body. The sodium present can help replenish sodium losses from the workout while also supporting the absorption of water into the athlete’s cells,” she says.
If you don’t work out very often, both dietitians say that the low-sodium version of the juice would be a healthier option. One serving has 150 milligrams, compared to the original juice’s 640 milligrams.
V8 Low Sodium Original 100% Vegetable Juice, Vegetable Blend with Tomato Juice, 46 FL OZ Bottle (Pack of 6)
Overall, both dietitians do say that the drink is a healthy beverage (especially the low-sodium version), but emphasize that it’s still important to eat fruits and vegetables, especially since the fiber content of the drink is quite low. “Nothing takes the place of eating whole, minimally processed fruits and vegetables,” Stangland says. “This drink can be a great addition to those who need more vitamin C support in their diet, or a beverage option other than water that is both low in calories and additives.”
Are V8’s Other Drinks Healthy?
While V8 is best known for its original vegetable juice, the brand also has an energy drink called V8+energy and other fruit and vegetable blends. Gorin says that all the drinks have good nutritional profiles and choosing which one to go for depends on one’s individual health needs and goals. “[When considering one of the fruit and vegetable blends, consider] what else you’ve eaten in a day and what you’re looking to get out of your juice,” she says. “For instance, if you haven’t eaten a lot of veggies, maybe you opt for the Healthy Greens Juice.”
V8 Blends Healthy Greens Juice, Fruit and Vegetable Juice Blend, 46 FL OZ Bottle (Pack of 6)
Your deciding factor on which fruit and vegetable blend to go with may simply be the one you like the taste of the best and that’s quite all right too. “All of the V8 fruit and vegetable blends have very similar nutrient profiles and none of them have any added sugar or artificial sweeteners, so it really comes down to preference,” Stangland says.
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As for the energy drink, both dietitians like V8+energy compared to many of the others on store shelves. “What is wonderful about the V8+energy drink is that it contains an ingredients list, not supplement facts like energy drinks normally have, so it is regulated by the FDA and therefore is much safer to consume,” Stangland says. She also likes that the caffeine is derived from tea, which is often tolerated better by the body than other caffeine sources. “The amount of caffeine is equal to about a cup of coffee, so it is not too high of a dosage. Many energy drinks on the market contain more than 400 milligrams of caffeine, which is not only dangerous but often irritating to the gut during exercise,” she adds.
V8 +ENERGY Pomegranate Blueberry Energy Drink, Made With Real Vegetable And Fruit Juices, 8 Ounce Can (Case of 24)
While it can provide a gentle boost of energy. Stangland says that the vitamin content in the energy drink is quite low, so it’s still important to eat lots of nutrient-rich foods throughout the day instead of relying on the drink for these benefits.
In general, both dietitians say that the V8 drinks are great to enjoy and can be beneficial to the body, but they shouldn’t be seen as a replacement for actual fruits and vegetables. “None of them are beverages that I would frown upon when used in the right setting,” Stangland says. “They offer little disadvantages for its great taste and also serve as an alternative option to the high calorie, high added sugar drinks that are on the market.”
Next up, see 20 juice and smoothie recipes that can help support your immune system.
Sources
Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, owner of Plant Based with Amy and Master the Media
Jenna Stangland, MS RD, co-founder of A4 Health and the team dietitian for the Minnesota Timberwolves
