Recipe: Zesty Homemade Vegetable Juice co*cktail (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in the V8 drink? ›

V8^® vegetable co*cktail is an easy and delicious way to enjoy 2 servings of vegetables*. It's made from a blend of eight garden vegetables: tomatoes, carrots, celery, beets, and greens. WATER, TOMATO PASTE, JUICE OF (CARROTS, CELERY, BEETS, PARSLEY, LETTUCE, WATERCRESS, SPINACH), WITH SALT AND SEASONING.

The original V8 is a savory juice. It is made mainly from water and tomato concentrate, and reconstituted vegetable juice blend: water and concentrate of eight vegetables, specifically: beets, celery, carrots, lettuce, parsley, watercress, spinach, and tomato.

Try adding other vegetables, particularly greens or herbs. My two favorite add-ins (separately) were cayenne and mint. The cayenne adds the perfect kick, and mint put a fresh, light spin on traditional V8.

What Foods Should Not Be Juiced Together? There are no known edible vegetables or fruits that cannot be juiced together. In fact, “when apple mash is mixed with other vegetables,” the resulting juice has increased nutrients and minerals.

With a short and mostly recognizable ingredient list, V8 juice is a healthy option, says Crumble Smith, but it doesn't come anywhere close to eating real whole fruits and vegetables. “Unless you're getting the low sodium (V8), there's a ton of sodium in that,” Crumble Smith says.

As for most adults, up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day appears to be safe, according to the Mayo Clinic. “Healthy adults who choose to drink energy drinks should not exceed one can per day,” the Mayo Clinic's Zeratsky said.

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.

Drinking green juice in moderation can boost your intake of multiple nutrients, but too much may cause serious side effects. Green vegetables are a rich source of oxalic acid, or oxalate, which is considered an antinutrient because it binds to minerals in food and stops your digestive tract from absorbing them.

V8 is a popular vegetable juice that claims to provide 2 servings of vegetables in an 8-ounce glass. Any 100 percent vegetable juice counts toward a person's daily recommended vegetable intake. However, due to the importance of fiber, many nutritionists recommend eating whole vegetables and fruits.

The antioxidant lycopene found in V8 100% vegetable juice affects inflammation as measured by CRP levels in a sample of female patients with heart failure. Lycopene is a natural phytochemical found in fruits and vegetables.

Can you drink V8 vegetable juice everyday? ›

An occasional V8 is fine for most people, but you should still focus on having a variety of whole vegetables in your diet. A better bet would be to blend up some vegetables yourself at home. Or, even better, eat your vegetables and drink a glass of water instead.

One of the easiest ways to add a more complex flavor to your green juice is by adding something spicy. Ginger is a very popular option because it adds a nice kick to a drink. Cayenne powder, cilantro, and basil are other great additions for a sharp, spicy taste.

Excess Sodium May Worsen Hypertension

Too much dietary sodium can play a role in the development or worsening of high blood pressure, or hypertension. Some V8 drinks are relatively high in sodium, which could contribute to going over the recommended intake of less than 2,300 mg daily.

Some of the best fruits and veggies to juice together include citrus fruits, leafy greens, carrots, beets, berries, melons, pineapple, grapes, and apples. These all blend beautifully into sweet-tart combinations. Avoid overdoing starchy fruits like bananas and avocados or strong-flavored veggies like garlic and onions.

The most common 'ill effect' of mixing fruits and veggies is gas, because fruit digests faster and uses different digestive enzymes. Carrots and apples are considered exceptions – carrots go well with any fruit and apples go well with any veggie.