You know the V8 drinks that boast they are 3 servings of vegetables or 1 serving of fruit and 1 serving of vegetables in each serving? I feel like I am "cheating" by getting a serving of fruits/vegetables that way-I think it's because I'm drinking them Then again, I've blended fruit and yogurt into a drink to get both a fruit and milk serving. What does everyone else think?

*Note: I don't particularly care what WW's stance is on this, just curious how individuals feel about it.

I like the V8 juices too. I use them when I just can't seem to get fruits and vegetables into a day. I don't believe they have near the fiber content of the actual fruit or vegetables, so I don't like to use them as a substitute on a "regular" basis.

I only count fruit in a drink when I make a smoothie at home. I also use yogurt and milk in the smoothie and get dairy servings. I've never had V8 but if I did I personally wouldn't count it as vegetable servings. Vegetables contain lots of water and I think when you juice them you are more likely to get lots of that water and some of the great nutritional value they provide. That is just my opinion though!

The juices lack fiber, enzymes and aren't a whole food anymore, so lots of nutrients aren't in them anymore...that being said, if it helps you get in servings you normally wouldn't, it's a good choice to use on occasion!

Personally, I drink calcium fortified orange juice on occasion because I don't get a lot of fruit servings usually and it's convenient way to get nutrients I may miss out on otherwise. Also, its really tasty!

I know you said you didn't care what WW's stance was, but I found it helpful when I was a WW member. Tomato and V8 could be used for only a limited amount of the veggie requirements, I believe, without having to count the points. The rationale was that it could be too easy to drink excessive calories.

I found this to be true with a WW zero point soup I often made. I used a 1/2 V8, 1/2 broth or bouillon base, and tons of veggies in it. Since I could eat a couple cups at every meal, and a snack or two inbetween (I LOVE veggie soup), the calories could add up if I ate unlimited portions without counting.

I think veggie and fruit juices are better than no fruits and veggies, but whole is generally better. If you eat a lot of whole fruits and veggies anyway, I don't think occasional juice really matters.

I count it when I drink it but since it is full of sodium I don't. I'll did you the sentiment that you didn't care about W/W stance but both W/W and the USDA Food Pyramid count it as a veggie.

This link has everything that is included for different food groups and then under the veggies (Right hand side of page):

Under Other vegetables
artichokes
asparagus
bean sprouts
beets
Brussels sprouts
cabbage
cauliflower
celery
cucumbers
eggplant
green beans
green or red peppers
iceberg (head) lettuce
mushrooms
okra
onions
parsnips
tomatoes
tomato juice
vegetable juice
turnips
wax beans
zucchini

and under the fruits:

100% Fruit juice:
orange
apple
grape
grapefruit

The key with the fruits is the 100% amount....

I personally dont use V8 becouse I don't want to waist my points on juice, but I have a hard time eating my fruits and veggies everyday so I bought a juicer at wal mart for $25 and make my own veggie and fruit juice. And becouse I only use fresh fruit and veggies I count the points just the same.

Carrot juice is sweet so I often mix it with spinich, celery, and even broccoli and i drink it in the morning. I can drink two servicings of fruit and/or veggies in no time. I have startted subing a cup of live juice first thing in the mporning for a cup of coffee, it provides almost an instant energy boost.

My favorite combination is mango, carrot and strawberry

V8 is 0 points ... tomato juice is 0 points.

However fruit juices are not.

Personally I don't like using points for liquids either (hence the reason I drink water, Crystal Lite, Diet Soda, etc).

I'm pretty sure, though that tomato and V-8 juice are only 0 pts for a limited amount per day (because obviously if you drink it all day, you could get a significant amount of calories). Personally, I wouldn't worry about it unless weight loss stalls, but it's something to consider. The biggest problem with any liquid calories is that they're generally not as filling as the solid food, because most or all of the filling fiber is gone.

Colleen I agree with you 100% on them not being as filling but my leader (and this is all up to interpretation and what makes one comfortable or not) they are zero point veggie and always zero points. I personally never have more than about 6 oz a day due to the fact that they are so high in sodium.

I feel like juice is a total waste. No fiber so it isn't filling. Goes down to fast so you don't get to chew and feel like you've eaten something. Of course, I eat 9-10 servings of vegetables a day and love every bite.