Wow, could I have a V8?
Dear Jess, your post on increasing vegetable and fruit intake was helpful as I have a hard time getting enough vegetables in my diet. Does V-8 juice count as a vegetable? I assume that it does. How many veggies can I count for an 8 ounce can of V-8? Thanks, PM
Good for you for considering ways to increase the amount of vegetables and fruits in your diet on a daily basis.
As in most choices in life, this, too, lies on a continuum. We all make decisions everyday about what foods we will pick on the “healthy choice” continuum, ranging from ideal to pure junk. Whole food is always a better choice than a processed product like Campbell’s V8 Juice. The juice is made from concentrates, and during processing is heated to over 118 degrees F which destroys many of the nutritious enzymes. Also, keep in mind that V-8 juice is very high in sodium, containing 590 mg in every 8 ounce glass…nearly 1/3 of the recommended daily allowance. And some versions of V-8 juices add high fructose corn syrup or Splenda, both of which I recommend avoiding for a number of reasons. V8 juice does have many redeeming qualities: It has a fair amount of potassium, it has more vitamin C than an orange, and nearly 40% of your daily vitamin A requirements. Is it better than a great big salad or juicing your own local organic vegetables? Well, no. But it is one way to start adding more vegetables to your daily diet and a positive step toward making healthier nutritional choices. If you live near a Whole Foods or Natural Foods store/co-op, look for a healthier version of V8…an organic, low sodium vegetable juice with no added flavors or sweeteners.
To specifically answer your question, you get 2 servings of vegetables in an 8-ounce glass of V8.
Remember, many vegetables contain fat-soluble vitamins meaning that you need to eat a bit of healthy fat with your vegetables in order to adequately absorb these fat-soluble nutrients. A small handful of soaked almonds with your V-8 makes a good afternoon snack!
Here’s to your health-
Jess
