When you sit down to watch the 7 o’clock news, have you ever noticed what plays during the commercial breaks? If you’re paying attention, you’ll spot at least two or three fruit drinks being advertised, often showing children running through playgrounds or a smiling mum pouring out a bright orange drink, the words “fortified” or “full of fruit” flashing across the screen.
But is it really fruit? Or is it sugar in disguise?
Let’s be honest, in Zambia, we’ve got a sweet tooth. From maheu to Fizzi, from our beloved Mazoe to fruit juices that barely contain any actual fruit, we are surrounded by drinks that spike our blood sugar faster than we can say “refreshing.” And unfortunately, the marketing is clever. It speaks to health, to nourishment, to culture. But behind that branding lies a recipe for long-term damage.
We often associate health problems like obesity, diabetes, and hypertension with Western countries. But Zambia is catching up – and fast. Type 2 diabetes and obesity rates are climbing at alarming rates across both urban and rural populations. And one major reason? Sugar-sweetened beverages.
According to the Lusaka Times (January 2024), Zambia currently has no tax on sugary drinks, no warning labels, and no national campaign educating people about “added sugar.” Meanwhile, beverage companies are capitalising on this gap, pushing such products as luxury or lifestyle drinks. A typical 300ml “fruit-flavoured” drink in Zambia can contain upwards of 6 teaspoons of added sugar; that’s more than your entire daily recommended limit in one bottle. And the worst part? Many people don’t even know it. They think they’re choosing something healthy because the label says “contains fruit” or “fortified with Vitamin C.”
The Diet Drink Dilemma
Now you may ask: “But where are the diet versions?” Good question. The answer is layered. Many small or mid-sized companies don’t offer sugar-free options because the cost of sweeteners like stevia or sucralose is high. These alternatives are harder to source, often imported, and more expensive to work with in production. Add to that the low public demand (because awareness is low), and the result is a market flooded with sugary options and very few safer alternatives.
In fact, some manufacturers have shared privately that producing diet versions “isn’t worth it” financially. The few that do exist are either imported (and expensive) or watered down versions of the original with artificial flavourings and no nutritional value. This leaves the average Zambian consumer with little to no choice. And choice is a powerful thing…when it exists.
It’s Not Just About the Drinks — It’s the System
When we talk about health, we must stop framing it only as a personal responsibility issue. Yes, it matters what we choose. But it also matters what we can choose. When major corporations have the budget to dominate prime-time advertising slots, and health campaigns are underfunded or non-existent, the playing field is not equal.
The World Health Organisation has repeatedly urged governments across Africa to introduce sugar taxes, better labelling laws, and public education initiatives. Many of our neighbours have listened: South Africa, Kenya, and Botswana all have sugar taxes in place, with early data showing a drop in sugary drink sales and increased demand for lower-sugar alternatives. But Zambia? Not yet. And this is where the power of collective awareness comes in.
What Can We Do as a Nation?
If we want to preserve the health of our children, prevent more amputations from diabetes, and reduce the pressure on our already stretched health system, we must act. Here are four practical ways forward:
1. Tax It to Curb It
Introduce a 10–15% sugar tax on all sugar-sweetened beverages, with revenue ringfenced for healthcare, school nutrition programmes, and rural wellness education. This has worked in other African countries. Why not here?
2. Label It Clearly
Mandate that all drinks sold in Zambia must include “Added Sugar” and “Total Sugar” breakdowns in grams and teaspoons, with clear front-of-pack warnings if sugar exceeds recommended thresholds.
3. Limit Prime-Time Junk Ads
Implement regulations to restrict advertising of sugary drinks during family or news-viewing hours, especially on national TV. Instead, offer subsidised slots for public health content – perhaps something as simple as “Do you know how much sugar is in your drink?”
4. Teach It in Schools
Let’s start early. From Grades 3 and up, children should be taught to read nutrition labels, understand hidden sugars, and make more conscious choices. This is not just a health issue, it’s an education issue, a future workforce issue, a nation-building issue.
The Role of Industry and Innovation
We’re not here to shame businesses, we’re here to invite them to evolve. Local beverage manufacturers have an opportunity to lead the change. Imagine proudly Zambian brands offering low-sugar, stevia-sweetened versions of traditional drinks. Imagine partnerships with health ministries or NGOs to create “Smart Choices” badges for schools and markets. And for those in diaspora reading this, you know the difference. In the UK, you can no longer buy a Coca-Cola with 60g of sugar. It’s capped. And taxed. Why should we be left behind?
As Someone Living with Diabetes
As someone who has managed type 1 diabetes for more than 30 years, I know first-hand what sugar can do to a body…and a family. I also know what it’s like to grow up in Zambia where hospitality means offering a sweet drink, and where saying “no thanks” is often seen as rude. We’re not trying to erase culture, we’re trying to inform it. The goal isn’t to ban sweet things. It’s to make sure we’re choosing sweet things, not being cajoled into them.
Let’s stop thinking of juice as healthy unless it’s actually 100% fruit. Let’s stop thinking of diet drinks as a Western idea. And let’s demand more from the companies profiting off our cravings. This isn’t about punishment, it’s about preservation.
Let’s sweeten our future with knowledge, not sugar.
(Kaajal Vaghela is a wellness entrepreneur, sportswear designer, and diabetes health consultant with over three decades of lived experience managing Type 1 diabetes. Having previously served as the chairperson of the Lusaka branch of the Diabetes Association of Zambia, she remains a passionate advocate for breaking down myths and building awareness about diabetes. For more information, check out: www.kaajalvaghela.com and for any feedback: [email protected])
