For years, the beverage aisle has been dominated by sugary sodas, sweetened juices and flavoured water. Today, however, a quiet shift is taking place as more Jamaicans pay closer attention to what they are consuming and how it affects their health.

The change comes at a critical time. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and obesity, remain among the leading causes of illness and death in Jamaica. According to the Ministry of Health and Wellness, approximately one in every eight Jamaican adults is living with diabetes, while more than one in three adults has hypertension. Obesity rates have also continued to rise, particularly among women, increasing the risk of several chronic illnesses.

Health experts have long pointed to excessive sugar consumption, particularly through sugar-sweetened beverages, as a major contributor to these conditions. Globally, a landmark study published in Nature Medicine estimated that sugary drinks were linked to approximately 2.2 million new cases of type 2 diabetes and 1.2 million new cases of cardiovascular disease in 2020 alone. The study also found that Latin America and the Caribbean were among the regions carrying the highest health burden associated with sugary beverage consumption.