Trump Claims Coca-Cola Will Adopt Cane Sugar; Company Denies Plan, Experts Debate Health Merits
Donald Trump's claim that Coca-Cola will switch sweeteners has been denied by the company. The assertion renews the cane sugar vs high-fructose corn syrup debate, though experts say both are similarly unhealthy when consumed in excess.
President Donald Trump recently claimed The Coca-Cola Company would switch from high-fructose corn syrup to cane sugar in its iconic soft drink if he imposes new tariffs. The company has denied any such plans, reigniting a long-standing public health debate over cane sugar vs high-fructose corn syrup and which, if either, is a healthier option for consumers.
Key Insights
| Key Fact | Detail |
| Trump’s Claim | At a rally, Donald Trump stated Coca-Cola would revert to “cane sugar now” due to his proposed tariffs. |
| Coca-Cola’s Response | The Coca-Cola Company has explicitly stated, “The information is false,” and confirmed no plans to change its sweetener. |
| The Health Debate | Nutrition experts largely agree that from a health perspective, the body metabolizes both sweeteners similarly. The primary health concern is the excessive consumption of any added sugars. |
| Economic Driver | U.S. beverage makers primarily use HFCS due to federal sugar tariffs and quotas that make domestic cane sugar more expensive than corn-based sweeteners. |
The Claim and The Company’s Rebuttal
During a rally in Wildwood, New Jersey, on May 11, 2024, former President Donald Trump asserted that his economic policies would compel a significant change in one of America’s most famous products. “They’re going to be using cane sugar now in Coca-Cola,” he told the crowd, tying the alleged switch to tariffs he plans to implement if re-elected.
However, The Coca-Cola Company quickly refuted the claim. In statements to multiple news organizations, a company spokesperson confirmed there are no plans to alter the sweetener in its flagship beverage in the United States. Coca-Cola has used high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as its primary sweetener in the U.S. since the 1980s.
This exchange has once again brought the complex issues of Coca-Cola ingredients, U.S. trade policy, and nutritional science into the public spotlight.
Is Cane Sugar Healthier? The Science of Cane Sugar vs High-Fructose Corn Syrup
At the heart of the discussion is a question consumers have asked for decades: is the “real sugar” in products like Mexican-made Coca-Cola healthier than the HFCS used in its American counterpart? According to most nutrition scientists, the difference is negligible.
What’s the Chemical Difference?
Both sweeteners are composed of the same two simple sugars: glucose and fructose.
- Cane Sugar (Sucrose): This is a disaccharide made of glucose and fructose molecules bonded together in a 50/50 ratio. The body must first break this bond before the sugars can be absorbed.
- High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS): This sweetener is produced by converting corn starch into glucose and then processing some of that glucose into fructose. The most common form used in soft drinks, HFCS-55, is a mixture of approximately 55% fructose and 42% glucose. These sugars are not bonded, meaning they are available for immediate absorption.
“From a metabolic standpoint, the body ultimately treats them in a very similar way,” said Dr. Kimber Stanhope, a nutritional biologist at the University of California, Davis, in a prior interview on the subject. “The concern isn’t the specific type of sugar, but the quantity of sugar—specifically fructose—that people are consuming.”
Expert Analysis on HFCS Health Effects
Extensive research has linked high consumption of all added sugars to increased risks of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Some studies have focused on the potential HFCS health effects, suggesting its higher fructose ratio and unbound structure could be metabolized differently, possibly leading to faster fat production in the liver.
However, major health bodies, including the American Medical Association and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, have concluded that there is insufficient evidence to state that HFCS is significantly less healthy than other caloric sweeteners. The consensus advice from public health organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) is to limit intake of all “free sugars,” which includes both HFCS and cane sugar, to less than 10% of total daily energy intake.
The Economic Story: Why US Coke Uses HFCS
The reason for the prevalence of HFCS in American-made soft drinks is not based on nutrition but on economics, a direct result of decades of U.S. agricultural policy.
A History of Sugar Tariffs and Subsidies
The U.S. government maintains a complex system of price supports, marketing allotments, and sugar tariffs to protect domestic sugar beet and sugarcane growers from foreign competition. This program keeps the price of sugar in the U.S. significantly higher than the global market price.
Simultaneously, federal subsidies for corn have historically made corn-based products, including HFCS, a much cheaper alternative for food and beverage manufacturers. This economic reality prompted Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and other major companies to switch from sugar to HFCS in the early 1980s. In most other countries, where these price dynamics are different, Coca-Cola is typically sweetened with locally sourced cane or beet sugar.
Consumer Perception and “Mexican Coke”
Despite the scientific consensus, a vocal group of consumers maintains a preference for the taste of Coca-Cola made with cane sugar, often called “Mexican Coke” in the U.S. This version, typically sold in glass bottles at a premium price, has developed a cult following among those who describe its taste as “crisper” or “less sweet” than the HFCS-sweetened version.
While taste tests have yielded mixed results, this consumer demand illustrates the powerful perception that “real sugar” is a more authentic or higher-quality ingredient.
The debate over sweeteners ultimately highlights a broader nutritional truth. While arguments over cane sugar vs high-fructose corn syrup persist, health experts emphasize that the most beneficial dietary change is not switching from one sugar to another but rather reducing overall consumption of sugary beverages and foods.
Fanta Blooper’s Tropical Twist Freeze Blast to RaceTrac for a Limited Time This Summer
