US President Donald Trump claimed on Wednesday that Coca-Cola has agreed to swap high-fructose corn syrup for real cane sugar in its soft drinks sold in the United States, following his personal request to the company.“I have been speaking to Coca-Cola about using REAL Cane Sugar in Coke in the United States, and they have agreed to do so,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “I’d like to thank all of those in authority at Coca-Cola. This will be a very good move by them — You’ll see. It’s just better!”Coca-Cola has not confirmed any immediate change in ingredients but responded with a brief statement acknowledging Trump’s support, reports Axios. “We appreciate President Trump’s enthusiasm for our iconic Coca‑Cola brand. More details on new innovative offerings within our Coca‑Cola product range will be shared soon,” the company said in a statement.
No clear confirmation from Coca-Cola
While the company did not say it would change its formula, it currently uses cane sugar in other markets, including Mexico, the UK, the Middle East and Africa. In the US, the beverage giant switched to high-fructose corn syrup in 1985 due to rising sugar costs and changes in farm subsidies. If Coca-Cola fully reverts to cane sugar in the US, it could put pressure on domestic corn growers and food manufacturers. John Bode, President and CEO of the Corn Refiners Association, criticised the idea, saying, “Replacing high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar would cost thousands of American food manufacturing jobs, depress farm income, and boost imports of foreign sugar, all with no nutritional benefit.”
Trump’s history with Diet Coke
Trump is famously loyal to Diet Coke, once drinking up to 12 cans a day during his presidency, according to Time Magazine. He had a red button on the Oval Office desk to summon a butler with a Diet Coke. Ahead of his second-term inauguration, Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey gifted Trump a special Presidential Commemorative Inaugural Diet Coke bottle.Trump immediately did not give a reason for pushing the sugar switch, though the announcement follows Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” campaign, which calls for removing corn syrup from American food. Health experts warn that both cane sugar and corn syrup pose similar risks, contributing to obesity and chronic diseases.One can of Coke contains around 39 grams of sugar, close to the 50-gram daily limit suggested for adults.
