V8 Juice Nutrition Information and Benefits

Even if you have plenty of fresh vegetables in your refrigerator it can still sometimes be a challenge to turn them into a healthy meal. Not just when it comes to prep and cook time, but ensuring that you make enough fresh or frozen veggies to meet your nutritional recommendations.

If convenience and taste are key for you to get your veggies, you might choose to drink V8 juice. While it's touted as a healthy beverage, is V8 really good for you?

The answer depends on more than just the nutrition content of the drink itself. V8's place in your diet needs to factor in what else you eat and drink regularly.

Nutrition Facts

The following nutrition information is provided for a 1-cup serving (8 ounces) of V8 Original beverage.

Type and Flavor

The calorie counts and nutrition facts for V8 juice depend on the type that you buy, as there are many different variations of the popular drink. The nutrition facts for the original blend are noted above, but a bottle of V8 juice's calorie and nutrition content will vary if you get other flavors.

• Low Sodium Spicy Hot V8 Juice: 50 calories, 0 grams fat, 11 grams carbohydrate, 8 grams sugar, 140 milligrams sodium, 1000 milligrams potassium, 2 grams fiber, 2 grams protein.
• Low-Sodium V8 Juice: 50 calories, 0 grams fat, 10 grams carbohydrate, 7 grams sugar, 140 milligrams sodium, 900 milligrams potassium, 2 grams fiber, 2 grams protein.
• Spicy Hot V8 Juice: 50 calories, 0 grams fat, 10 grams carbohydrate, 7 grams sugar, 640 milligrams sodium, 460 milligrams potassium, 2 grams fiber, 2 grams protein.
• V8 Bloody Mary Mix: 40 calories, 0 grams fat, 8 grams carbohydrate, 7 grams sugar, 620 milligrams sodium, 270 milligrams potassium, 1 grams fiber, 1 grams protein.
• V8 Essential Antioxidants: 50 calories, 0 grams fat, 10 grams carbohydrate, 7 grams sugar, 480 milligrams sodium, 490 milligrams potassium, 2 grams fiber, 2 grams protein.
• V8 High Fiber: 60 calories, 0 grams fat, 13 grams carbohydrate, 7 grams sugar, 480 milligrams sodium, 490 milligrams potassium, 5 grams fiber, 2 grams protein.
• V8 Hint of Black Pepper Juice: 50 calories, 0 grams fat, 10 grams carbohydrate, 7 grams sugar, 590 milligrams sodium, 450 milligrams potassium, 2 grams fiber, 2 grams protein.
• V8 Hint of Lime Juice: 50 calories, 0 grams fat, 10 grams carbohydrate, 7 grams sugar, 590 milligrams sodium, 430 milligrams potassium, 2 grams fiber, 2 grams protein.
• V8 Sea Salt and Clam Vegetable Juice Cocktail: 60 calories, 0 grams fat, 14 grams carbohydrate, 12 grams sugar, 650 milligrams sodium, 320 milligrams potassium, 0 grams fiber, 1 grams protein.
• V8 Spicy Mango Vegetable Juice Cocktail: 50 calories, 0 grams fat, 12 grams carbohydrate, 9 grams sugar, 650 milligrams sodium, 260 milligrams potassium, 1 grams fiber, 1 grams protein.

When you buy V8 juice, you may also see fruit and vegetable blends alongside the traditional tomato juice beverage. The V8 brand offers blended juices such as V8 Strawberry Banana, V8 Peach Mango, or V8 Concord Concord Grape Cranberry.

You might also see V8 +Energy Drinks, which include vegetable juice, fruit juice, (or both), plus caffeine.

Serving Size

The amount of any drink that you consume is also a factor you need to consider when you're figuring out its nutritional content.

A single serving of the beverage is 8 ounces or 1 cup. As a reference, 8 ounces is the size of a small juice glass. Many drinking glasses and tumblers are actually 12 ounces or larger. A small bottle of V8 that you purchase in the store is 12 ounces.

Is V8 Juice Good for You?

If you enjoy the taste of V8 juice, you'll be glad to know it does have some nutritional benefits. In general, health experts say that having a V8 juice is a better option than having a sugar-sweetened beverage.

For example, V8 juice is lower in sugar compared to other popular juice drinks. An 8-ounce glass of Original V8 contains just 6 grams of sugar. An 8-ounce glass of orange juice contains 22 grams of sugar, and an 8-ounce glass of unsweetened apple juice has 24 grams of sugar.

Most of the V8 vegetable juices are a good source of potassium, which your body needs to regulate blood pressure, prevent muscle cramping, and keep electrolytes balanced. V8 also provides vitamin A to boost your immune system and vitamin C which is important to wound healing.

Drinking V8 vs. Eating Vegetables

Original V8 juice is made from a blend of vegetables, including carrots, watercress, lettuce, parsley, spinach, beets, celery, and of course, tomatoes.

Many people assume that when they drink the beverage, they are consuming the equivalent of two servings of vegetables. However, if you read the small print on the label, you'll see that you're consuming the equivalent of the juice of two servings of vegetables.

Fiber Content

The distinction is important for a few reasons. When the juice is extracted from fruits or vegetables, the fiber also gets left behind. The current USDA dietary guidelines for adults recommend consuming at least 28 grams of fiber per day (or 14 grams per 1000 calories).

Fiber supports your health in many ways. Not only does fiber improve digestion and regularity, but according to the USDA, fiber can also help decrease the risk of some types of cancer, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

When you drink vegetable juice, you don't consume as much fiber as you do when you eat vegetables. For example, eating a tomato (1.5 grams of fiber), a cup of beets (3.8 grams), and a stalk of celery (0.6 grams of fiber), would give you about 6 grams of fiber. Drinking one glass of Original V8 juice would only give you 2 grams of fiber.

Healthy Eating Habits

Another advantage of eating your vegetables (rather than drinking them) is that it promotes healthy eating habits. When you eat your veggies, you consume them more slowly. You can take the time to enjoy the taste, mouthfeel, and sensation of fullness that chewing and eating provides.

When your diet is full of whole fruits and vegetables, it also fills up your plate. A colorful full plate adds to the enjoyment of consuming a meal. These are all habits that support a nutritious diet and a healthy weight.

Choosing and Storing V8 Juice

You'll find V8 juice in the (unrefrigerated) beverage section of the grocery store. You don't need to refrigerate it when you bring it home as long as it stays unopened. You will want to put it in the fridge after you open it.

You should also think about how much V8 that you will consume when you are choosing a size to buy. Each bottle has a date stamped on the package and you should consume the drink before that date.

How to Include V8 in Your Diet

If you enjoy the taste of V8 vegetable juice, then keep it in your kitchen. You can use it for more than drinking by the glass, too. Here are some ways you can include V8 in a healthy diet:

• Add V8 to smoothies instead of sweeter juices like apple juice or carrot juice.
• If you usually drink soda with your lunch or dinner, drink V8 instead.
• Choose V8 juice instead of packaged smoothies, which tend to be high in sugar.
• To cut down on calories and reduce your sodium intake, choose the lower sodium varieties and add water, ice, or a dash of sparkling water to dilute the drink.

A Word From Verywell

For many of us, trying to get enough vegetables is challenging. Many people think that drinking V8 juice can be a good replacement, but it's a little more complex than that. When you consider the benefits, calories, and nutrition facts for the beverage, it can be a healthy choice in some situations but it can't completely replace a varied and nutritious diet of whole foods.

No single food or drink will make or break your complete nutritional plan. Try to eat a variety of fresh or frozen fruits and veggies. If you are having trouble getting all the nutrition that you need, talk to your doctor about supplementing. V8 juice might be part of a healthy diet for you, as well as drinking plenty of water.