Q: Does V-8 count as a serving of vegetables?

The dietitian at my local hospital is telling the diners that a glass of V-8 juice is the equivalent of having a serving of 8 vegetables. True?

A: Dr. Gourmet Says...

Such a claim is not true at all. 4 ounces of a vegetable juice cocktail like V8 is about the equivalent of a serving of vegetables.

Even if the glass were large - say 16 ounces - that would only be 4 servings.

I am not a big fan of drinking juice instead of eating veggies or fruit. Such products as V8 are highly processed and you're better off eating 4 servings of fresh vegetables than drinking a large glass of juice. Having a tomato as one serving has as much fiber as 8 ounces of V8 for instance.

The other major issue is that V8 contains a lot of added salt that most folks don't need.

Stick to fresh veggies.

Thanks for writing,

Dr. Gourmet