President Donald Trump said earlier this week on Truth Social that Coke will be using cane sugar in its drinks, although Coke has yet to confirm the change.
“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 wrote on the site. “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!”
But is it really "just better?"
Besides carbonated water, the most prominent ingredient in Coke is high fructose corn syrup. Coca-Cola does have a cane sugar version available in some retailers, but those generally come at a higher cost.
What is high fructose corn syrup?
High fructose corn syrup is made from cornstarch but undergoes chemical processing to convert its glucose into fructose.
"(Fructose) can lead to increased fat metabolism or a fat accumulation in your liver. And it also can lead to more increased fat deposits in the form of a blood triglyceride in fats," said Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian with the Cleveland Clinic. "All forms of sugar can do that for certain. But what's the concerning factor is that high fructose corn syrup is so inexpensive and highly processed and utilized so frequently in cultured processed foods and beverages. I think by changing that to a better quality, maybe more expensive form of sugar that is less processed, the hope would be that we may see a reduction in the amount used due to the fact that the cost is higher."
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Changing the type of sugar from glucose to fructose alters how the body metabolizes the sugar, she said. Cane sugar contains a slightly higher proportion of glucose compared to high fructose corn syrup.
"Cane sugar is processed differently," she said. "So glucose is utilized as a form of energy, and fructose is pretty much just broken down and metabolized in your liver. So if you have a higher level of fructose, you are going to metabolize that more and through the liver, utilize what you need, and then store the rest as fat. So it's a little bit metabolized differently than glucose."
Will Coke become healthier?
While Zumpano wouldn't classify Coke as a healthy drink to consume regularly, even with cane sugar, she sees this as a step in the right direction.
"My advice would be that the quantity and the volume is more concerning than the type of sugar that's involved in the Coke," she said. "So I would say that regardless of the kind of sugar, whether it's cane, high fructose corn syrup, or artificially sweetened, I would recommend a very limited amount and a controlled amount. Because all have detrimental health effects in excess."
How big of an impact will this have?
Globally, a growing number of people are drinking zero-sugar sodas, which contain artificial sweeteners that have very few calories.
According to data released by Coca-Cola earlier this year, sales for Coca‑Cola Zero Sugar grew 9% in 2024, while its classic Coca‑Cola gained just 2% in sales.
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In late 2024, Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey addressed changes in political attitudes at an investor conference.
"What we have learned to do over the last number of years is in part make sure we have the options available for whatever choice you want to make, whether that's because it's got low calorie or no calories in it versus the original formula, maybe it's got more protein in it like the Fairlife drinks, maybe it's got other ingredients in it, vitamins or whatever," he said. "In the end, like what the consumer wants, you need to be able to offer them the variety of choices and, by the way, the variety of packages. And I think that has allowed us over the years to adapt to different trends from consumers or from regulators and manage our way through."
