Coca-Cola makes sweetener change. Is corn syrup or cane sugar healthier?

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5 hours ago

Coca-Cola will be adding cane sugar to its ingredients list after all.
'We're going to be bringing a Coke sweetened with US cane sugar into the market this fall, and I think that will be an enduring option for consumers,' Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey said on a second-quarter call with investors and analysts on July 22.
The company initially declined to comment on its intentions to use cane sugar after President Donald Trump claimed it would do so in July.
'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 in a July 16 Truth Social post. '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!'
Coke didn't confirm the claim at the time, saying in a statement shared with USA TODAY that it would share details on new offerings soon and appreciated Trump's enthusiasm for its product.
Rather than replace high-fructose corn syrup as the sweetener in its flagship line, however, the sugar will be used in a drink that 'complements' and 'expands' its product range, Quincey said in the earnings call and subsequent report.
USA TODAY has reached out to Coca-Cola for comment.
High-fructose corn syrup is one of the ingredients the Trump administration has pushed companies to remove from food and beverages as part of its 'Make America Healthy Again' initiative. But is cane sugar actually 'healthier' for you? Here's what to know.
What is high-fructose corn syrup?
High-fructose corn syrup is a viscous, sweet substance made from cornstarch. When broken down into individual molecules, it becomes corn syrup, virtually a 100% glucose product, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Enzymes are then added to make some of the glucose into fructose, another simple sugar that naturally occurs in fruits.
The resulting product is higher in fructose compared to the pure glucose in plain corn syrup, hence the 'high' in the name.
High-fructose corn syrup is used in a large number of processed and packaged foods. Because it is cheaper to produce and more shelf-stable than regular sugar, it is widely used in the food manufacturing industry, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
What is cane sugar?
Cane sugar is derived from the natural byproduct of sugarcane − a tall, perennial, tropical grass from which liquid is extracted to create sugar. Corn is in the same plant family as sugarcane, which allows for the extraction of sweetener from both.
The way raw sugarcane is processed and refined determines the product it ultimately yields. It can be made into a syrup, juice or crystallized and refined further into products like white sugar, brown sugar, molasses or jaggery, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and WebMD. Cane sugar consists of sucrose, which is one-half glucose and one-half fructose.
Is cane sugar better for you than high-fructose corn syrup?
Like all types of added sugar, both cane and high-fructose corn syrup can have negative health effects, like weight gain, diabetes and heart disease, if consumed in excess.
The FDA says it is 'not aware of any evidence' of a difference in safety between foods containing high-fructose corn syrup and 'foods containing similar amounts of other nutritive sweeteners with approximately equal glucose and fructose content, such as sucrose, honey, or other traditional sweeteners.'
Dr. Wesley McWhorter, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told USA TODAY that high intakes of any added sugar can cause health issues, but that our bodies break down some types differently.
'High fructose corn syrup and cane sugar are both forms of added sugar, and both contain glucose and fructose; cane sugar is sucrose, which is 50% fructose, while high fructose corn syrup typically contains about 55%,' he said.
'Your body processes them similarly, but fructose is primarily metabolized in the liver. When consumed in excess, especially from sugary drinks and other concentrated sources, fructose can promote fat accumulation in the liver, a key contributor to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.'
He hopes the conversation around Coke's change sparks a larger conversation about reducing the amount of added sugar Americans consume in general, regardless of the type.
'Long-term health isn't about swapping one sweetener for another; it's about making meaningful changes to cut added sugar and improve the overall quality of the foods we eat,' he said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cane sugar vs. high-fructose corn syrup: Which one is healthier?
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