Ask the Dietitian...cont...

From my last post, I received a comment/question from my good friend:

"Thanks for this entry. It reminds me of something that I saw recently.

I've been drinking this V8 Fusion stuff for the "full serving of fruit and full serving of vegetables" that it advertises. Then my friend tells me to read the back of the 12oz bottle.

It says: An 8oz serving provides 1/2 cup serving of fruit and 1/2 cup serving of vegetables. The USDA recommends 2.5 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit for a 2,000 calorie diet.

So a 12oz bottle provides .75 cups of vegetables and .75 cups of fruit. So what the heck does "full serving of fruit and vegetables" mean??It's so misleading and annoying!!"


Alright, well, to clarify the issue, I shall try to explain:

Basically what they're saying is that a 1/2 cup of fruit juice = 1 serving of "fruit." They can say that because of how the fruit juice reacts in the body, turning into sugar.

Additionally, a 1/2 cup of vegetable juice counts under the same principle.

So, yes, your 12 oz bottle of juice provides you three-4 oz (1/2 cup) servings of juice = 3 full servings of fruit and vegetable.

Every American should really aiim for 9 servings of fruit and vegetables a day. But, of course the minimum recommendation is 5. Believe me though, we would all benefit from a more plant-based diet, while cutting back on meats and of course, processed foods.

So, in conclusion, to answer your question. When they say V8 fusion provides "full serving of fruit and vegetable" it is because by USDA standards a fruit and vegetable serving = 1/2 cup juice.

Also, make sure whatever you're drinking is 100% fruit/veg juice. Not juice drink.

Now, according to the V8-fusion website, it is 100% juice. But, also keep in mind, juice does not have fiber in it. Also, I'm very weary of any food that has health claims on it, such as "vit.A, promotes eye health." They are trying to sell you the nutrient vs. the whole food.

For more on this, I would highly recommend reading In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. Which I still need to provide a review for.

I Dana Ellis, and Michael Pollan have thoughts that align. It really is a great book for a more novice nutritionista with questions about how to suss through all the non-food out there.

Basically, don't eat anything that comes pre-packaged that has more than 5 ingredients, ingredients you can't pronounce, or foods your grandmother wouldn't recognize. Those are his take-away points, which as I said, I agree with, it is my whole motto.

With that, send more questions! I really enjoyed answering them again. :)