President Donald Trump posted on social media Wednesday that Coca-Cola has agreed to use cane sugar in regular Coke sold in the U.S. “This will be a very good move by them — You’ll see. It’s just better!” he wrote.
According to the Associated Press, Coca-Cola has yet to confirm the switch—but the announcement raises questions about what the potential change would actually mean for your health. Here’s what nutrition experts think.
American Coke is sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, a liquid sweetener made from cornstarch. It’s a refined sugar, meaning it comes from natural sources but has been processed to remove other nutrients, leaving only pure sugar.
Coke was originally made with cane sugar, but in the early 1980s, the company switched to high-fructose corn syrup, a cheaper sweetener.
Many other parts of the world still make Coke with cane sugar. For instance, Mexican Coke, sold in the classic glass bottles in the U.S., still uses cane sugar.
Coke with cane sugar isn’t any healthier than Coke sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, experts said. In fact, the sweeteners are quite similar.
Cane sugar, which comes from sugarcane or sugar beets, is also a refined sugar. “Cane sugar on the surface may seem healthier because it’s ‘natural,’ but this halo effect stops there,” Lisa Moskovitz, RD, CEO of The NY Nutrition Group and author of The Core 3 Healthy Eating Plan, told Health in an email.
The sweeteners have similar molecular make-ups—both containing about a 50/50 split of simple sugars fructose and glucose—and are digested the same way in your body.
“Our bodies aren’t going to know if that’s cane sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. We just know that it is sugar and we need to break that down,” Caroline Susie, RDN, LD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics with a private practice in Dallas, told Health.
Susie said consuming an excessive amount of any refined sugar can lead to a higher risk of weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and fatty liver disease.
“At the end of the day, it’s added sugar,” she said. “Those added sugars really do add up.”
While the occasional soda is okay, experts don’t recommend it on a regular basis.
“Whether soda is sweetened with cane sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, it’s still an empty-calorie, blood glucose-spiking beverage,” Moskovitz said.
Diet soda, containing no sugar or calories, is a slightly better option, but experts still don’t recommend it. “Soda—regular or diet—provides zero nutrients,” Susie explained.
The gold standard for hydration is water, Susie said, and she also recommends unsweetened tea and sparkling water.
If you’re really craving a soda, Moskovitz suggests seltzer with a splash of juice or flavored with fruit, such as berries, oranges, or limes.
