hello,
I bought a new V8 juice product called V8 Fusion Vegetable & Fruit, and it says "100% juice", "full serving [of] vegetables" and "full serving [of] fruits" on the front.  However, it is suspiciously tasty, has 120 calories per 8 oz (although I take that into account in my daily calorie add-up) and 26 GRAMS of SUGAR! to me that sounds really bad, although I've always heard V8 was good for you and thus, wanted to try it.  Is there a different type of V8 I should drink? should I just stick to only water (a tried and true classic) and green tea?  It's supposedly naturally sweetened, but I don't trust corporations.

Are there any other delicious juices you can recommend? without artificial sweetener, but 100% juice, and maybe "lite"? (I'm trying to phase that out a little, as aspartame seems a little sketchy to me.)

There's no question that whole fruits and vegetables are a better choice.  They provide fiber - that's lost (for the most part) in juice - and they don't have a lot of additives, preservatives, sodium and sugar.

Fruits and veggies naturally contain sugar so it's hard to tell (without seeing the label) if all 26 grams are natural, or added.  Take a look at the ingredient list and you'll get an idea.

My suggestion is to increase your intake of fruits and veggies, have a small glass or two of juice and get most of your hydration from tea and water.

I hope this helps.

Pat Baird, MA, RD, registered dietitian