Tomato Juice: Nutrition, Sodium and Is It Healthy?

Tomato juice is a low-calorie vegetable juice that, in USDA data, supplies potassium, vitamin C and a large amount of the red pigment lycopene in every cup. The catch is salt: regular canned tomato juice carries about a quarter of the Daily Value for sodium per cup, while the no-salt-added version has almost none. Is tomato juice healthy? The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines count 100% tomato juice in the red and orange vegetable subgroup, so it can be part of a varied diet, but the sodium line on the label decides a lot. This guide walks through tomato juice nutrition, the FDA sodium terms on the can, how it compares with mixed vegetable juice, and who should check with a clinician.

Peptide Labs does not sell tomato juice or vegetable juice. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.

Tomato juice nutrition: regular vs no salt added

USDA SR Legacy lists canned tomato juice with salt added and without salt added. The two entries are identical except for sodium, which makes the salt difference easy to see. The table also shows canned mixed vegetable juice cocktail, regular and low sodium, because shoppers often choose between them. Percent Daily Values use FDA reference values.

Read across the sodium row and the whole story is there: the same juice ranges from 1% to 27% of the Daily Value depending only on added salt. Sugar is modest for a juice, at about 6 grams per cup in USDA data, and comes from the tomatoes themselves. The vitamin C figures are high; check the ingredient list for added ascorbic acid, since brands differ. Our tomato guide compares fresh, cooked and canned tomatoes, and our potassium foods guide puts the potassium in context.

Sodium terms on a can of tomato juice

FDA defines the sodium words on food labels in 21 CFR 101.61, and they are worth knowing before you compare cans.

• Low sodium: 140 milligrams or less of sodium per reference serving under the FDA rule. The low-sodium vegetable juice entry in USDA data sits right at that line.
• Reduced sodium or less sodium: at least 25 percent less sodium than a comparable regular food, per the FDA rule. It can still be a salty product.
• No salt added or unsalted: no salt was added during processing, to a food that is normally made with salt. FDA requires the label to say “not a sodium free food” unless the food is sodium free, because tomatoes have some natural sodium.
• Salt is not the same word as sodium: FDA notes that salt means sodium chloride. The Nutrition Facts sodium line is the number to compare.

For reference, the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines say people ages 14 and above should consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, the same figure FDA uses as the Daily Value, and that highly processed foods high in sodium should be avoided. That is a population guideline, not a personal target; your clinician may give you a different one. Our sodium guide and salt substitutes guide have more on reading labels and cutting back.

Is tomato juice healthy? What it offers

Tomato juice counts toward vegetables. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines list “tomatoes, 100% tomato juice” in the red and orange vegetable subgroup, and the 2025-2030 edition says 100% fruit or vegetable juice should be consumed in limited portions or diluted with water, alongside eating whole vegetables and fruits in their original form.

• Lycopene: according to the Linus Pauling Institute, about 80% of the lycopene in US diets comes from tomatoes and tomato products, and heat processing plus a little fat in the meal makes it easier to absorb. There is no Daily Value for lycopene, and our lycopene guide covers what studies have and have not found.
• Potassium and vitamin C: USDA lists 11% of the Daily Value for potassium per cup and a large vitamin C figure for both canned entries.
• Low in calories: 41 calories per cup in USDA data, with about 6 grams of sugar.
• Little fiber: about 1 gram per cup in USDA data, so juice is not a substitute for whole vegetables when it comes to fiber.

Compared with a sweet fruit juice such as cranberry (see our cranberry juice guide), tomato juice has far less sugar per cup in USDA data, while carrying sodium that sweet juices lack. Green juices raise different questions, covered in our celery juice article.

Who should be careful with tomato juice

• People watching sodium: if a clinician has advised a lower-sodium diet, the no-salt-added or low-sodium versions make the biggest difference.
• Kidney disease and potassium: the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements notes that people with chronic kidney disease, or who take medicines such as ACE inhibitors or potassium-sparing diuretics, can develop high blood potassium even from food. Ask your clinician or dietitian about potassium-rich juices.
• Heartburn: NIDDK lists acidic foods such as citrus fruits and tomatoes among foods commonly linked to GERD symptoms; our GERD diet guide has more.
• Infants: the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines say 100% fruit or vegetable juices should not be given to infants before 12 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Last reviewed October 2026.

Related guides: Cranberry Juice: Nutrition, Cocktail vs 100% Juice and Research, Tomatoes: Nutrition Facts, Lycopene and Are Tomatoes Healthy?, Low Sodium Foods: USDA List, Foods High in Sodium and Label Terms.