Thoughts on V8 good or bad for you

Rivers2k
Rivers2k Posts: 380 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am very busy with work and 2 young kids. For Fruit and Veggies I get a piece of fruit before the gym in the morning and what ever side I have with dinner. Salads here and there. I love veggies but not enough make it into my diet.

I thought two cups of V8 a day should help out. Then I noticed the sodium ouch! what do you think should I ad them or work harder at preparing veggies in the morning? I already get up a 5:15 am to hit the gym in and have an hour commute to work each way.

Replies

  • swonn
    swonn Posts: 323 Member
    Have you tried the low sodium version? I have also created my own from the vegetables grown in my garden. There are several different recipes on the internet.
  • kjw1031
    kjw1031 Posts: 300 Member
    They do have a lower sodium version.

    I don't think it's bad for you, but I wonder if V8 has the same amount of fiber that you'd get my eating veggies? Not sure about that though.
  • Frozen300
    Frozen300 Posts: 223 Member
    I personally believe unless a doctor has told you different, sodium shouldn't deter you from eating / drinking better choices. A glass a day is no worry.
  • mearlie
    mearlie Posts: 224
    Just remember that sodium is not necessarily the most awful thing to get in the world. If your blood pressure is normal or kinda on the low side, a little sodium isn't going to hurt you. In fact I go out of my way to add a little "lite salt" (it has sodium and potassium in it) into my diet because my blood pressure is low.

    Now if you have high blood pressure, scratch everything I just said and step away from the V8! Otherwise I see no harm in it, and if you like it, why not?!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    Have you tried the low sodium version?

    ^^^ THIS
  • Michael164
    Michael164 Posts: 3
    We use a vitamix and have fruit and vegetable smoothies everyday. Very tasty if you make them right.
  • TrailRunner61
    TrailRunner61 Posts: 2,505 Member
    I'd skip the high sodium, no fiber V8 and eat a handful of grape tomatoes instead.
  • Gizziemoto
    Gizziemoto Posts: 430 Member
    Due to digestive problems, I drink one 11.5 can a day of V8 low sodium. I am on bp meds and trying to lower my sodium. I happen to like this. I also drink the V8 Fusion. Met with a dietician and said while it is better to get them raw for the nutrients, if you have no choice, then drinking them will work.
  • changing4life_deleted
    changing4life_deleted Posts: 3
    I drink 8 ounces of low sodium V-8 every day. It does have fiber, by the way, as well as a ton of nutrients. Counts as 2 veggies and a glass of fluid. To me, it's a win-win
  • TexasTroy
    TexasTroy Posts: 477 Member
    nothing is better than real foods...especially veggies but V8 is perfectly fine. Makes a better choice than other things you could be eating or drinking. I say go for it. If your worried about the sodium, cut down on another food with a high sodium content during the day:)
  • AllisonS79
    AllisonS79 Posts: 51 Member
    I am very busy with work and 2 young kids. For Fruit and Veggies I get a piece of fruit before the gym in the morning and what ever side I have with dinner. Salads here and there. I love veggies but not enough make it into my diet.

    I thought two cups of V8 a day should help out. Then I noticed the sodium ouch! what do you think should I ad them or work harder at preparing veggies in the morning? I already get up a 5:15 am to hit the gym in and have an hour commute to work each way.

    I say have the freakin V8! LOL . You are obviously making a huge effort by waking up at 5:15, driving an hour each way to work, and taking care of 2 young kids. If you find time to prepare veggies, great. But if not, drink the V8 and get some veggies that way. It's better than nothing.

    (and when possible, maybe you could chop a bunch of fresh veggies in the evening and put them in ziplock bags to get you through the week)
  • tdrusk
    tdrusk Posts: 21 Member
    They do have a lower sodium version.

    I don't think it's bad for you, but I wonder if V8 has the same amount of fiber that you'd get my eating veggies? Not sure about that though.
    There is no way. From what I understand it is the difference between juicing and blending. You juice you get more nutrition per gallon. You blend you get more fiber per gallon. I prefer blending since I like the fiber and it helps keep me full.
  • tessiscruisen
    tessiscruisen Posts: 84 Member
    I drink one of the 5.5 OZ low sodium cans of V8 once in a while - (I used to every day) but I have added fiber supplements to my diet (per doctors orders) so I have once 2-3 times a week in the morning with breakfast or as a snack.

    1 Can (5.5 oz) has:
    30 Calories
    95 mg sodium
    700 mg potassium
    7 g carbs
    1 g fiber
    5 g sugar
    1 g protein
    25% Vit A
    80% Vit C
    2% Calcium
    2% Iron

    Good for you!:wink:
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    I am very busy with work and 2 young kids. For Fruit and Veggies I get a piece of fruit before the gym in the morning and what ever side I have with dinner. Salads here and there. I love veggies but not enough make it into my diet.

    I thought two cups of V8 a day should help out. Then I noticed the sodium ouch! what do you think should I ad them or work harder at preparing veggies in the morning? I already get up a 5:15 am to hit the gym in and have an hour commute to work each way.

    After a long bike ride, that sodium and potassium it's high in are great.

    Without a workout, no thirst for it, and the low sodium version just tastes wrong to me anyway.

    But it's better than the sugar in their V-8 splash line.
  • Erienneb
    Erienneb Posts: 592 Member
    I drink V8 a few times a week to help me get the veggie servings I need. I get the light and low sodium versions. I have no problem with it because I'm sorry but tomatoes are awful and most veggies I just can't eat. I have plenty of other fiber so it's cool. It's all about the rest of your diet. And it's a good backup. In a perfect worl we would all have time to make our own, but sometimes it just doesn't work out. Having it on hand means you're less likely to skip entirely if you run out of time to fix a better alternative.
  • sunnyside1213
    sunnyside1213 Posts: 1,205 Member
    nothing is better than real foods...especially veggies but V8 is perfectly fine. Makes a better choice than other things you could be eating or drinking. I say go for it. If your worried about the sodium, cut down on another food with a high sodium content during the day:)

    This.
  • bethanyclaire88
    bethanyclaire88 Posts: 15
    I used to work as a co-op at Campbell Soup in beverage (V8 brands) and there's really no reason it can't be part of a healthy diet. I usually drank the low-sodium one every day (we had a fridge of them in the gym) and I like to have a glass of V8-V*Fusion with breakfast; they are a lot better for you than some of the other juices on the market. The fiber won't be the same as eating vegetables, but it's certainly a start. I'm pretty sure there is also a V8 extra fiber version too.
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    I'd skip the high sodium, no fiber V8 and eat a handful of grape tomatoes instead.

    Agreed. It is like orange juice vs. the orange. You get the calories but are missing out on some of the good stuff. Of course, put it all in perspective. Eating the real vegetables is a better bet than drinking a manufactured vegetable juice. However, the vegetable juice is better than drinking a can of soda. It's all relative.
  • TonkaDanteFriend
    TonkaDanteFriend Posts: 70 Member
    Love me a good can of V8 with breakfast in the morning. I get the low sodium spicy flavor. Highly recommend the spicy stuff if you have a problem with the flavor/texture of the regular. Anyway, drinking it hasn't stunted my weight loss in the least.
  • JustLindaLou
    JustLindaLou Posts: 376 Member
    I try to always have the little 5.5 oz cans of low-sodium V8 on hand. I like them with my eggs in the morning, with a piece of string cheese as a mid-morning or afternoon snack, etc. I think there are so many worse things you can grab, like soda or potato chips etc! Yes some fresh veggies would be a better choice, but I don't think a V8 is too bad of a choice. :drinker:
  • Rivers2k
    Rivers2k Posts: 380 Member
    Thanks all. I have tried the low sodium but like the original better. My blood pressure is actually very normal. I think everyone is surprised by my blood work because I am overweight but my blood levels are all perfect.

    My grandfather who was very very fit died of a heart attack in his late 50's. Growing up my father always said you better be careful or you will have a hear attack! So seeing the sodium scared me.
  • Bronx_Montgomery
    Bronx_Montgomery Posts: 2,284 Member
    Are we talking about regular V8 or V8 Splash? Regular V8 taste nasty.....V8 Splash is amazing
  • Rivers2k
    Rivers2k Posts: 380 Member
    I am very busy with work and 2 young kids. For Fruit and Veggies I get a piece of fruit before the gym in the morning and what ever side I have with dinner. Salads here and there. I love veggies but not enough make it into my diet.

    I thought two cups of V8 a day should help out. Then I noticed the sodium ouch! what do you think should I ad them or work harder at preparing veggies in the morning? I already get up a 5:15 am to hit the gym in and have an hour commute to work each way.

    I say have the freakin V8! LOL . You are obviously making a huge effort by waking up at 5:15, driving an hour each way to work, and taking care of 2 young kids. If you find time to prepare veggies, great. But if not, drink the V8 and get some veggies that way. It's better than nothing.

    (and when possible, maybe you could chop a bunch of fresh veggies in the evening and put them in ziplock bags to get you through the week)

    LOL Thanks that was encouraging! I will drink the FREAKIN V8 and like it!
  • Rivers2k
    Rivers2k Posts: 380 Member
    Are we talking about regular V8 or V8 Splash? Regular V8 taste nasty.....V8 Splash is amazing

    Regular V8 I love the taste! I prefer salty things over sweet.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    If you don't have any blood pressure issues, the sodium shouldn't kill you. But maybe try the low sodium version if you're trying to watch it a bit. But instead of 2 V8's, why not have 1 V8 and a handful of veggies?
  • EmilyRanae22
    EmilyRanae22 Posts: 506 Member
    now I want some V8...nom nom nom
  • mearlie
    mearlie Posts: 224
    regarding bp, me too, my blood pressure is on the low end so I actually had an endocrinologist tell me to increase my sodium/potassium if I was feeling particularly low. I have a blood pressure cuff and will sometimes take a "salt pill" if I'm feeling rotten and bp is quite low.

    My point is, a low sodium diet is NOT one-size-fits-all.
  • AllisonS79
    AllisonS79 Posts: 51 Member
    I am very busy with work and 2 young kids. For Fruit and Veggies I get a piece of fruit before the gym in the morning and what ever side I have with dinner. Salads here and there. I love veggies but not enough make it into my diet.

    I thought two cups of V8 a day should help out. Then I noticed the sodium ouch! what do you think should I ad them or work harder at preparing veggies in the morning? I already get up a 5:15 am to hit the gym in and have an hour commute to work each way.

    I say have the freakin V8! LOL . You are obviously making a huge effort by waking up at 5:15, driving an hour each way to work, and taking care of 2 young kids. If you find time to prepare veggies, great. But if not, drink the V8 and get some veggies that way. It's better than nothing.

    (and when possible, maybe you could chop a bunch of fresh veggies in the evening and put them in ziplock bags to get you through the week)

    LOL Thanks that was encouraging! I will drink the FREAKIN V8 and like it!

    Good :wink: haha

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