Laboratory Analysis of Glucose, Fructose, and Sucrose Contents in Japanese Common Beverages for the Exact Assessment of Beverage-Derived Sugar Intake

Abstract

Background: The adverse health effects of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption have been studied worldwide. There are several reports on actual sugar contents in sugar-sweetened beverages. However, there is no recent report on actual sugar contents in Japanese sugar-sweetened beverages. Therefore, we attempted to analyze glucose, fructose, and sucrose contents in Japanese common beverages. Methods: Glucose, fructose, and sucrose contents in 49 beverages including 8 energy drinks, 11 sodas, 4 fruit juices, 7 probiotic drinks, 4 sports drinks, 5 coffee drinks, 6 green tea drinks, and 4 tea drinks were determined using the enzymatic methods. Results: Tow zero calorie drinks, 2 sugarless coffee drinks, and 6 green tea drinks contained no sugar. Three coffee drinks contained only sucrose. The orders of median glucose, fructose, and sucrose contents in categorized beverages containing sugars were as follows: for glucose, fruit juice > energy drink ≥ soda >> probiotic drink > black tea drink > sports drink; for fructose, probiotic drink ≥ energy drink > fruit juice > soda >> sports drink > black tea drink; and for sucrose, black tea drink > energy drink ≥ probiotic drink > fruit juice > soda > coffee drink >> sports drink. The rate of total fructose content in total sugar content in 38 sugar-containing beverages was approximately 40-60%. The total sugar content analyzed was not always equivalent to carbohydrate content indicated on the nutrition label. Conclusions: These results indicate that actual sugar content in Japanese common beverages is necessary for the exact assessment of beverage-derived sugar intake.