Back for flying visit, hello to all my old Ciao colleagues, sorry I've been away so long, where did ...
Back for flying visit, hello to all my old Ciao colleagues, sorry I've been away so long, where did that year go? Best wishes to all - I am soon off again on hols. Will try to r/r/c/ in meantime. Cheers!
Member since:07.12.2003
Reviews:31
Members who trust:37
WHY DID I BUY IT?
I try to follow govt guidelines (5 different fruit or veg a day), but really, I have been using this for years. I like it, but read on even if you don't, because you don't have to drink it!
WHAT IS IT?
Campbell's' V8 100% vegetable juice is a drink (but see below). The eponymous eight veg are: tomato, carrot, beetroot, watercress, celery, parsley and spinach. No artificial preservatives or colours, but there is added salt and "spice extracts". As someone who is supposed to avoid salt I am a bit cross about the added salt: 0.60g per 100ml. Carbs 3.2g per 100 ml. 19 calories per 100 ml. No fat, as to the spices, pepper maybe?
AVAILABILITY
AND PRICE
Sainsburys, Waitrose, Tesco, health food shops. It can be hard to find even in shops that stock it. Sometimes it's on the fruit juice shelf, sometimes among the breakfast items in larger Sainsburys. It's not that cheap: slightly more expensive than basic fruit juices. Depending on the store, cans cost around 60 pence, bottles and tetrapaks around £1.49. As ever, your shops will have their own deals, which change as I write.
PACKAGING AND STORAGE
330 ml ring-pull cans, litre bottles and tetrapaks. So choice of formats in terms of storage or recycling potential. However, in my experience you don't get that much choice - if you can find it there's rarely more than one format available. The cans and tetrapaks are covered in colourful pics of the ingredients, plus the trademark black V8. These are confined to the label on the bottles. Don't have to keep it in fridge, but once opened, refrigerate and use within 4 days, (or freeze excess on day of usage).
TASTE?
Tomato is the dominant taste and smell, which some people dislike, with a suggestion of carrot. However if you like tomato juice, this is a good alternative with all the extra veg, some of which give it quite a kick (to my palate, probably the celery and beetroot). You can of course add Worcester Sauce and/or a large dollop of vodka, as you prefer. It does taste salted, so watch it. Consistency is slightly thicker than tomato juice on its own - a good filler drink as part of the kind of low calorie lunch you fear may leave you hungry.
I HATE IT, SO WHAT NOW?
Read next section and consider.
SO WHAT ELSE?
Keep a couple of tins/bottles in the cupboard. When you make casseroles, pasta sauces, soups, shepherd's or cottage pie, chuck in half or a whole can or equiv (for 2 or 4 people respectively) and you'll find it makes a delicious difference. As I've said, I think the celery and beetroot provide a peppery kick, which livens up the taste more than the usual dollop of tomato puree, and the beetroot provides a warmer colour (I like beetroot as long as it isn't pickled). This goes for both vegetarian and meat versions, needless to say. I like Serious sauce or gravy, and this gives more substance to vegetarian dishes which turned out a bit bland. Basically, unless you avoid tomatoes then this is a great cupboard standby when all you have in to accompany your rice, pasta, or spuds is one onion, and a pile of meat or pulses. As for fish, well I would only use it with a robust white like halibut or turbot. Convenience veg! No juicing required. And you can freeze it so you don't have to use it all at once/drink it either.
HEALTHY STUFF
A 150 ml glass (29 calories) counts as one of your five-a-day veg portions. A friend who gets bad chests and likes my chest-buster chicken casserole with Tabasco prefers it when I have added V8 instead of tomato puree as he feels it "warms his chest more". I make no scientific claims for this observation of course.
This drink sounds ideal for people with immune problems etc, but having offered it, as a desperate relative, to someone recovering from chemotherapy I must say don't do this. He hated the smell and wouldn't touch it; he might felt the same under any circumstances but certainly in that state. Suggest it when they are not feeling sick as a dog/can eat normally again.
VARIATIONS
Following market trends V8 have now brought out their own range of fruit juices to match: Tropical, Citrus, Orange and Mango, Apple and Melon. I suggest trying these even if you don't like V8 (nb they all contain carrot). Cheers!
WEBSITE:
www.V8juice.co.uk
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
I like these, sure it would be cheaper to just do them myself though....lol xxxx
daylehall 07.01.2007 02:36
I dont like tomoato or beetroot so not sure this would be good for me. Great review. xx
UKRushbrook 16.11.2006 13:57
I like V8 and always have. A nice treat is to make sure it is ice cold, add a little ground pepper and some worcestshire sauce or even a little lemon. Price is a little steep though.
very helpful by (100%):
