V8 had a reputation for being a healthy drink that’s packed with vegetables, so it might seem that it’s a good choice for a keto diet. But is it really? Here’s everything you need to know about adding V8 to a keto diet.
What is V8 juice?
V8 is a vegetable-based juice that some people say tastes like tomato soup or a Bloody Mary. One of the best things about this juice is that it has limited ingredients. Water is the first ingredient, but the eight main ingredients that give it its name are juiced tomato, carrot, celery, beet, parsley, lettuce, watercress, and spinach.
Other ingredients are salt, vitamin C, beta carotene, citric acid, and other natural flavorings.
It’s worth mentioning that you may also see an expanded V8 product line, including versions like V8 Fusion and V Splash. These are different types of V8 that include various fruit juice flavors and other ingredients and are not what we’re talking about here.
Is V8 juice keto?
V vegetable juice can be keto, but it depends on how many carbs you’re eating every day. Some of the ingredients do contain sugars, which ups the carb content a bit. As with all keto drinks, be sure to read the label carefully for the nutrition facts and keep track of your macros if you plan to integrate V8 into your diet.
How many carbs does V8 juice have?
V Juice has 13g of carbs, 2g of fiber, 10g or sugar, equalling 11g of net carbs in a one-cup serving.
If you’re trying to keep your daily carbs under 50g, one cup of V8 is a big chunk of the carbs you’re allowed to have, and the fact that it has such a high sugar content scares some people.
That said, if you monitor everything carefully, a cup of V8 won’t be enough to kick you out of deep ketosis in and of itself. Just be sure not to drink too much in a single day.
What are the other nutritional benefits of V8 juice?
V8 Juice is generally a healthy beverage, especially since the main 8 ingredients are all vegetables.
What are the downsides of V8 juice?
The only thing you need to look out for, other than carbs, is the sodium content. One serving of V8 has 650 mg of sodium, which is about a quarter of what you should have in a day. If you’re on a low sodium diet, this may not be a good choice for you.
How to eat V8 on keto
A lot of people like to drink V8 with breakfast as it makes a nice salty pairing with eggs. You can also swap V8 for any recipe that calls for tomato juice or even diced tomatoes or canned tomatoes if you don’t mind a thinner consistency.
You can use V8 as a soup base, add it to bone broth for a little extra flavor, or use it to make a keto-friendly Bloody Mary stacked with tons of fresh vegetable garnishes.
