Washington DC: President Donald Trump has claimed that Coca-Cola will begin using real cane sugar in its beverages sold in the United States, replacing the widely used corn syrup. The announcement follows concerns raised by his Health Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., over the health effects of corn syrup.
“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. 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!” Trump stated on Truth Social.
Coca-Cola has not explicitly confirmed any recipe change. However, a Coca-Cola spokesperson responded by saying that, “We appreciate President Trump’s enthusiasm. More details on new innovative offerings within our Coca-Cola product range will be shared soon.”
In the US, Coca-Cola products are typically sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, whereas in countries like Mexico, the UK, and Australia, cane sugar is more commonly used.
Back in April, Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey told investors: “We continue to make progress on sugar reduction in our beverages.” Quincey noted that the company is achieving this by “changing recipes as well as by using our global marketing resources and distribution network to boost awareness of and interest in our ever-expanding portfolio.”
Still, the potential shift to cane sugar has raised economic concerns. John Bode, President and CEO of the Corn Refiners Association, warned in a statement that, “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.”
The change appears to reflect the influence of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, which has pushed companies to remove ingredients like corn syrup, seed oils, and artificial dyes, linking them to numerous health issues.
Kennedy has also criticized the overall sugar consumption in the US and is expected to release updated national dietary guidelines this summer.
Ironically, despite advocating for natural sugar in soda, Trump is a regular Diet Coke drinker, a product that uses the artificial sweetener aspartame. During his time in the White House, Trump even had a special button installed on the Resolute Desk to summon the beverage.
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