J Korean Diet Assoc.  2022 Aug;28(3):195-204. 10.14373/JKDA.2022.28.3.195.

Assessment of the Sugar Content According to Beverage Types Sold in Korea

• Kim SY
• Choi MK

• KMID: 2532216
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14373/JKDA.2022.28.3.195

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to provide nutritional information for selecting beverages with low sugar contents. The nutritional data, including the sugar contents of 925 beverages, were collected from the nutrition labels through the official websites of manufacturers and analyzed according to the beverage types. The average price and volume of the beverage products were 1,556.6 won and 224.8 mL, respectively. The volume per price was the highest for carbonated beverages at 351.6 mL/1,000 won. The sugar content was high in the order of carbonated beverages (22.6 g), fruit & vegetable beverages (21.0 g), and mixed beverages (19.1 g). The sugar content per 100 mL was high in the order of fruit juice (10.6 g), fruit and vegetable beverages (9.2 g), ginseng and red ginseng beverages (8.5 g), and mixed beverages (8.3 g). The content of the product per 1,000 won was high in the order of carbonated beverages (23.3 g), fruit and vegetable beverages (23.2 g), and mixed beverages (20.0 g). The number of products with energy from a sugar content of 5% or more compared to the energy reference value was significantly higher in the carbonated beverages (52.2%), fruit and vegetable beverages (33.0%), and mixed beverages (26.5%) than other beverages. The sugar energy ratio of beverage products was highest in the carbonated beverages at 88.9%, followed by fruit and vegetable beverages (87.0%), fruit juices (84.3%), and mixed beverages (76.8%). Overall, beverages with high sugar contents per product, volume, and price were carbonated beverages, fruit and vegetable beverages, and mixed beverages.

Keyword

beverages; sugars; energy; carbonated beverages; nutrition labeling