Natural Mineral Waters "Birutė" and "Vytautas"

The Birštonas mineral water products "Vytautas" and "Birutė" are probably the most popular in Lithuania. This is due to decades of continuous use, their decent mineral composition, and an active advertising campaign. According to their producers, "Vytautas" is the mineral water with the highest mineral content in the Baltic states, the first and oldest Lithuanian mineral water, produced since 1924. The most medically researched water in Lithuania, its recognised effects make it suitable for both spa and everyday use. The following is said about the mineral water "Birutė": "Drawn from deep underground, it contains minerals vital to the human body – calcium, magnesium, potassium. Refreshing with a light taste, it effectively quenches thirst and supplies the body with essential minerals and trace elements." The company traces its history to 1924, when mineral water was first bottled industrially in Lithuania; the waters were carbonated and prepared for wider use. Because the waters of this region were widely known for their recognised beneficial properties, it was decided to build a plant in the town of Birštonas so that people could enjoy this uniquely beneficial water not only at the spa, but more widely too.

Now let's take a closer look at "Birutė" and "Vytautas". Let's examine how much of which minerals these mineral waters contain. Table 1 presents the chemical analysis results for these waters (the concentrations of these minerals may fluctuate a little, but I believe the fluctuations are not large). 

Table 1. Chemical analysis results of the natural mineral waters "Birutė" and "Vytautas".

Water quality indicator, its units	Water quality indicator value
"Birutė"	"Vytautas"
pH, pH units	7,27	7,22
Specific electrical conductivity (SEC), mS/cm	4,43	10,16
Permanganate index, mg O2/L	1,35	1,0
Total hardness, meq/L	16,05	47,6
Total mineralization, g/L	2,7	7,3
Cations
Sodium (Na+), mg/L	650	1727
Potassium (K+), mg/L	6	32
Calcium (Ca2+), mg/L	186	552
Magnesium (Mg2+), mg/L	81	240
Anions
Chlorides (Cl–), mg/L	1204	3480
Sulfates (SO42–), mg/L	375	989
Bicarbonates (HCO3–), mg/L	243	300

Brief commentary

a) "Birutė": since this water contains mostly sodium and calcium cations and chloride anions, it can be called a sodium-calcium chloride water. It has medium mineralization, is very weakly alkaline (pH just above 7), and has a low content of organic matter (a low permanganate index value). By drinking this water, the body receives a good amount of minerals it badly needs (calcium, magnesium, and potassium ions).

b) "Vytautas": in this water (as in "Birutė"), sodium and calcium cations and chloride anions likewise dominate. This means it, too, can be called a sodium-calcium chloride water. This water's mineralization is considerably higher than that of "Birutė". A closer look at the chemical analysis results of these mineral waters shows that the concentration of the main ions in "Vytautas" is roughly 2,6-2,8 times higher than in "Birutė". Roughly speaking, diluting "Vytautas" with deionized water about 3 times would give a water similar to "Birutė". Speaking seriously, you would need to drink about 3 times more "Birutė" than "Vytautas" for the body to get a similar amount of minerals. In any case, the claim heard in "Vytautas" TV advertising – "the water with the highest mineral content" – is evidently correct.

Table 2 presents the daily allowances of various minerals for an adult, as recommended by health specialists (hygienists) (mg), and the share of these allowances (%) contained in one litre of the mineral waters examined.

Table 2. Recommended daily allowance of a mineral for an adult (mg) and the share of this allowance (%) contained in one litre of mineral water.

Mineral	Mineral concentration in the natural mineral water "Birutė"	Mineral concentration in the natural mineral water "Vytautas"	Recommended daily allowance of the mineral for an adult, mg	Share of the recommended daily allowance in one litre of the natural mineral water "Birutė",%	Share of the recommended daily allowance in one litre of the natural mineral water "Vytautas", %
Calcium ions (Ca2+)	186	552	800	23,25	69
Magnesium ions (Mg2+)	81	240	375	21,6	64
Potassium ions (K+)	6	32	2000	0,3	1,6
Sodium ions (Na+)	650	1727	–	–	–
Chloride ions (Cl–)	1204	3480	800	150,5	435
Sulfate ions (SO42–)	375	989	–	–	–

The data in Table 2 show that by drinking one litre of "Birutė" per day, an adult's body receives 23,25 % of the daily calcium allowance and 21,6 % of the daily magnesium allowance, while drinking one litre of "Vytautas" gives as much as 69 % of the daily calcium allowance and 64 % of the daily magnesium allowance. That is not bad, but alongside the good things there are, as a rule, some less good ones too. Drinking a litre of either of these mineral waters gives the body too much chloride ion (in simpler terms, too much table salt). The medical literature states that table salt raises blood pressure. This claim is correct, as I have verified it myself. Hypertensive people, i.e. those with high blood pressure, should keep this in mind. Enjoy!