What are V8 Energy Drinks?
The V8 Energy Drink is made from vegetables. It brings energy to your body and is a vegetable juice containing multivitamins and fruit flavour. The juice comprises 8 vegetables: tomato, carrots, beets, celery, lettuce, parsley, spinach, and watercress. It is made from 99% tomato juice and is an excellent source of vitamins A and C and potassium, especially the low-sodium version. It has only 45 calories and 8 g of carbohydrates per 8 oz glass [1].
However, although V8 Energy Drink contains many healthy nutrients, it does not support the consumption of a natural vegetable in place of an artificial concoction. The vast majority of naturally occurring fibre is removed during processing, and fibre is an integral part of health, for example, regular bowel movements, the prevention of heart disease, and the lowering of cholesterol levels [1].
For good measure, there is also ‘V8’ sold as a male enhancement supplement, with nothing to do with V8 vegetable juice, which has led to multiple hospitalisations because of severe hypoglycaemia and emerged as a significant threat to public health [2].
What Does V8 Energy Drink Contain?
...
The drink provides vitamins that are very helpful in maintaining good health, especially vitamins A and C. V8’s low-sodium version includes – potassium chloride, a potassium source [1].
Nutritionally, 8 ounces of V8 contains 45 calories and 8 grams of carbs, with 140 mg of sodium per 8-ounce glass low-sodium version [1].
However, it's important to note that while V8 is made from vegetables, most of the fibre from these vegetables is removed during processing [1].
Are V8 Energy Drinks Healthy?
V8 energy drinks are made from vegetables, so they are a healthier option than most other popular beverages. The juice from eight vegetables is macerated into various styles of V8. The beverage contains tomatoes, carrots, beets, celery, lettuce, parsley, spinach, and watercress. Hence, they provide consumers with the most healthy source of vitamins A and C. An 8-ounce glass of V8 contains the drink, more specifically, 45 calories and 8 grams of carbs [1].
However, while V8 drinks are made from vegetables, they are not substitutes for whole vegetables. Most of the fibre from vegetables is stripped away in production, and the pasteurisation process used to make V8 drinks can also result in the loss of nutrients. The fibre is removed when the pulp is separated. Fibre found only in whole plants, is vital for digestive health, avoidance of constipation, and heart disease protection [1].
Furthermore, though V8 drinks are a healthier alternative than many other beverages, they’re also not as nutritious as fresh vegetable juice: the pasteurisation process and reconstitution from concentrate can strip vegetables of a large portion of their nutritional value [1].
Conclusion
To summarise, V8 energy drinks can be healthier than many other drinks. However, they do not need to replace eating whole vegetables as these drinks, when processed and pasteurised, cause the loss of fibre and other nutrients. Therefore, they can be part of a balanced diet but should not be the primary source of vegetable intake.