SLIM PICKINGS

V8 Veggie Blends juices
V8 Veggie Blends juices

WHAT: V8 Veggie Blends juices

STATS: Vary by flavor. The least caloric is the Purple Power with 50 calories and zero fat, 12 carbohydrate, 1 fiber, 11 sugar and 1 protein grams per 8-ounce serving. Sold in 12-ounce and 46-ounce bottles. More information at campbells.com and facebook.com/V8.

THE SKINNY: Introduced in 1933, Campbell's V8, a blend of vegetables including tomato (OK, so that is a fruit), beets, celery, carrots, lettuce, parsley, watercress and spinach, was ahead of its time. Or at least ahead of the current juicing trend.

So even though its V8 Veggie Blends -- juices of fruits and vegetables with 50 to 70 calories per cup -- are new, the idea is not. Props to V8 for being a pioneer.

Lively flavors include Healthy Greens (yellow carrots, spinach, apples and pineapple); Carrot Mango (carrot and mango); Purple Power (purple carrot, beet and apple); Golden Goodness (yellow carrot, sweet potato, orange carrot and orange); and Mandarin Orange Kiwi (sweet potato, carrot, grapes, apple, mandarin oranges and kiwi). Our favorite was the sunny Carrot Mango; we didn't dislike the mellow Purple Power, but we didn't read the label prior to sipping and therefore had unfulfilled expectations of a fruity grape base.

Flavors also include ... water. Veggie Blends are 75 percent juice and 25 percent water. Even if it's listed as "pure water," that's going to be purely unacceptable to some.

Slim Pickings is a weekly review of light foods. Email:

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ActiveStyle on 02/08/2016

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