Juicing is big business. It’s just more fun to drink your veggies instead of plowing through a plate of broccoli. And in the world of juicing, V8 is the king.
One can of V8 contains the juice of eight vegetables: tomatoes, beets, carrots, celery, spinach, watercress, parsley, and lettuce.1 It’s healthy, it’s yummy, and you can throw one in your bag and go.
Now, V8 may be the “The Original Plant-Powered Drink®,” but when you are pulling an all-nighter or need a little afternoon pick-me-up, you’re not going to reach for a can of tomato juice—or are you?
V8 +Energy is V8’s answer to the sleepy and the jittery. It’s still packed with V8’s veggie juice goodness but with the addition of caffeine. Each can of V8 +Energy contains about 80 mg of caffeine.
How Much Caffeine Is in V8 +Energy?
In short, an 11.5-ounce can of V8 +Energy contains 80 milligrams of caffeine. V8 says that’s similar to a cup of coffee.
V8 +Energy comes in various fruity flavors, such as Peach Mango, Orange Pineapple, Pomegranate Blueberry, Black Cherry, and Honeycrisp Apple Berry.
If you enjoy bubbly drinks, there’s also the V8 +Energy Sparkling variety that comes in Orange Pineapple, Black Cherry, Strawberry Kiwi, and Lemon Lime.
V8 +Energy Gets Its Caffeine From Tea
V8 +Energy’s caffeine kick comes from the addition of green tea and black tea.
If you’re used to the strong buzz of coffee, the caffeine in V8 +Energy might seem a little weak. That’s because tea contains theine. It still works the same way, but theine also contains polyphenols.
Polyphenols are micronutrients found in plants. They’re antioxidants that can have all sorts of health benefits, such as reducing inflammation and protecting against heart disease and cancer.
However, polyphenols also slow down the absorption of caffeine. That means the caffeine buzz from tea is more subtle than in coffee, but it also lasts longer.
Caffeine Content Comparison
V8 +Energy vs. Popular Sodas With Caffeine
| V8 +Energy | 11.5 oz. | 80 mg |
| Mountain Dew | 12 oz. | 54 mg |
| Dr. Pepper | 12 oz. | 41 mg |
| Diet Coke | 12 oz. | 46 mg |
| Pepsi | 12 oz. | 38 mg |
Based on their caffeine content, you get more of a caffeine buzz from V8 +Energy than you would from popular sodas.
V8 +Energy vs. Popular Energy Drinks
Compared to the top energy drinks around, V8 +Energy’s caffeine content is on the lower end:
| V8 +Energy | 11.5 oz. | 80 mg |
| Red Bull | 8.4 oz. | 80 mg |
| Monster Energy | 16 oz. | 160 mg |
| Rockstar Energy Drink | 16 oz. | 160 mg |
| Full Throttle | 16 oz. | 160 mg |
| Bang Energy Drink | 16 oz. | 300 mg |
Still, if the usual energy drinks get you jittery, V8 +Energy might be a good alternative. Its lower caffeine content and addition of polyphenols from the tea could give you a steadier energy boost.
V8 +Energy vs. Coffee
Here’s how the caffeine content of V8 +Energy compares to different types of plain coffee:
| V8 +Energy | 11.5 oz. | 80 mg |
| Brewed Coffee | 8 oz. | 96 mg |
| Espresso | 1 oz. | 64 mg |
| Instant Coffee | 8 oz. | 62 mg |
Unsurprisingly, there’s more caffeine in coffee than in V8 +Energy. But again, since V8’s caffeine comes from tea, it might make for a gentler energy boost than coffee.
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V8 +Energy vs. Tea
Finally, let’s compare the tea-powered V8 +Energy to regular tea:
| V8 +Energy | 11.5 oz. | 80 mg |
| Brewed Black Tea | 8 oz. | 47 mg |
| Brewed Green Tea | 8 oz. | 28 mg |
V8 +Energy’s caffeine content is quite on par with brewed black tea. As for green tea, V8 has more than double the amount of caffeine.
How Much V8 +Energy Is Safe to Drink?
According to the Mayo Clinic, most adults can safely consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day. That means you could have four 11.5-ounce cans of V8 +Energy and still stay within the safe limit.
While a can of V8 +Energy has reasonable caffeine content, you also need to consider the other ingredients. In particular, each can of V8 +Energy has quite a lot of sugar. For instance, the 8-ounce Orange Pineapple flavor has 10 grams of sugar. Sure, that comes from fruit juice, but it’s still sugar nonetheless.
The American Heart Association recommends that most adults should limit their sugar intake to no more than 24–36 grams per day. At 10 grams of sugar per can, V8 +Energy can quickly add up. So, if you’re watching your sugar intake, it is best to limit yourself to one can a day.
If you’re okay with sticking to one flavor, V8 +Energy’s Diet Strawberry Lemonade only has 2 grams of sugar and 10 calories per 8-ounce can.
Final Thoughts
V8 +Energy is a delicious way to switch up your usual cup of coffee or a can of soda. Not to mention, it has tons of vitamins and minerals thanks to the vegetable and fruit juices.
That being said, V8 +Energy does have a fair amount of caffeine and sugar. So, it’s best to enjoy it in moderation.
