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V8 Energy Strawberry Banana
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Unsweetened beverages

V8 Energy Strawberry Banana

Good out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • Contains non-nutritive sweeteners
  • Contains caffeine
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Why it scores 65

V8 Energy Strawberry Banana scores 65 out of 100 (Good) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
  2. Sugars 4.9 g / 100 ml: High in sugar. Strong
  3. Natural flavors: "Natural flavor" is a legal category (21 CFR 101.22(a)(3)): flavor substances from spices, fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy or fermentation. Info

Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.

Better juices and juice drinks

The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.

The Receipt

Strawberry Banana

START100

Ingredients

  • Natural flavors
    Info "Natural flavor" is a legal category (21 CFR 101.22(a)(3)): flavor substances from spices, fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy or fermentation. [1][2]
  • Stevia (steviol glycosides)
    Emerging WHO (2023) recommends against using non-sugar sweeteners to control body weight (conditional recommendation); US dietary guidelines advise limiting them. [3][4]
subtotal−5

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [2]
  • 2 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: flavoring and non-nutritive sweetener. [2]
subtotal−19.5

Nutrition per 100 ml

  • Sugars 4.9 g / 100 ml
    Strong High in sugar. [5]
  • Energy 22 kcal / 100 ml
    Info Energy-dense for its volume. [4]
subtotal−11
TOTAL 65Good

100 − 35.5 = 64.5 → 65

GTIN 00051000247797 · 2026-04-14

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 ml

Energy22 kcal
Fat0 g
Carbohydrates5.3 g
Sugars4.9 g
Added sugars0 g
Protein0 g
Salt0 g

Serving: 1 can (226.796 g)

Ingredients

High Moderate Not recognized Tap an ingredient for its evidence and rules.
Label text, as published

water, vegetable juice (water and concentrated uices of sweet potatoes, arot). fruit juice (water and concentrated juices of apples white grapes, strawberis), natural flavoring, atric acid, malic acid, caffeine from bladk and green tea, vitamin c (ascorbic acid), banana puree, purified stevia leaf extrad, niacinamide (vitamin b3), pyridoxine bydrochloride (vitamin b6), ganocobalamin (vitamin b2)

Allergens and diets

  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest unsweetened beverages in the US

More from V8 Energy

Sources

  1. 21 CFR 101.22 Foods; labeling of spices, flavorings, colorings and chemical preservatives

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Dec 19, 2016 · Law

    “whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”

    ecfr.gov

  2. Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  3. WHO advises not to use non-sugar sweeteners for weight control in newly released guideline

    World Health Organization · May 15, 2023 · Agency assessment

    “The recommendation is based on the findings of a systematic review of the available evidence which suggests that use of NSS does not confer any long-term benefit in reducing body fat in adults or children.”

    who.int

  4. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture · January 2026 · Regulator

    “Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”

    cdn.realfood.gov

  5. Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children

    World Health Organization · Mar 4, 2015 · Agency assessment

    “In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”

    who.int

  6. Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses

    BMJ · Feb 28, 2024 · Peer-reviewed

    “Greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic, common mental disorder, and mortality outcomes.”

    doi.org

  7. Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake

    Cell Metabolism · July 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  8. Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine is Too Much?

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Regulator

    “For most adults, the FDA has cited 400 milligrams* a day — that's about two to three 12-fluid-ounce cups of coffee — as an amount not generally associated with negative effects.”

    fda.gov

  9. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex III point 4.1 (beverages with high caffeine content)

    European Union (Official Journal) · Oct 25, 2011 · Law

    “‘High caffeine content. Not recommended for children or pregnant or breast-feeding women’”

    eur-lex.europa.eu