Sodium and potassium intake through juices and low alcohol beverages in Fiji

Abstract

Sixty four different fruit juices, juice concentrates, soft drinks and beers, available in Fiji supermarkets were analysed for Na⁺ and K⁺ contents with a view to assess their potential for nutritional supplementation or exposure risk in daily life. Drinks fall in five broad categories of (a) fruit based drinks, (b) flavoured artificial drinks, (c) carbonated fizzy drinks, (d) sports drinks and (e) low alcohol drinks. The Na⁺, K⁺ contents in 100 mL of the drinks were found to be in fruit based drinks (Na⁺ 2–34 mg, K⁺ 84–246 mg), flavoured artificial drinks (Na⁺ < 1–32 mg, K⁺ 0–59 mg), carbonated fizzy drinks (Na⁺ <1–15 mg, K⁺ 0–4 mg), sport drinks (Na⁺ 30–81 mg, K⁺ 0–40 mg) and beers (Na⁺ 1–14 mg, K⁺ 23–61 mg). All fruit based drinks contained significantly higher amount of potassiumas well as lower Na⁺/K⁺ ratio. Although Na⁺ overload is less likely to arise, except through sports drinks, fruit based drinks and beers could offer appreciable advantage in K⁺ supplementation. A shift towards popularization of fruit based drinks through policy decisions and taxation might have beneficial effect in controlling the growing epidemic of hypertension and CHD/CVD events in the long run in the country.