Is Mexican Coke Healthier Than US Coca-Cola? What to Know
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President Donald Trump has announced that Coca-Cola will swap high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) with cane sugar in a win for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative.
Mexico is one of several countries where Coca-Cola already does this, but does it mean their Coke is healthier?
The "short answer," according to Dr. Robert Lustig, who has spent more than a decade treating childhood obesity, is that "there is absolutely no difference between sucrose (Mexican Coke) and high-fructose corn syrup (U.S. Coke)."
"They are both equally bad for you," Lustig told Newsweek. "They both cause mitochondrial dysfunction and chronic metabolic disease."
Mexican Coke vs U.S. Coca-Cola
Mexican Coke vs U.S. Coca-Cola
Getty/Newsweek
"The only difference is price," he added. "High-fructose corn syrup is half the cost, so manufacturers can afford to put more in, and make more profits. Otherwise, they're exactly the same."
Coca-Cola has weighed in on this conversation itself, emphasizing that HFCS is safe.
"The name sounds complex, but high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) – which we use to sweeten some of our beverages – is actually just a sweetener made from corn," the company said in a post on X discussing Trump's announcement. "It's safe; it has about the same number of calories per serving as table sugar and is metabolized in a similar way by your body."
"The American Medical Association has confirmed that HFCS is no more likely to contribute to obesity than table sugar or other full-calorie sweeteners," the post continued. "Please be assured that Coca-Cola brand soft drinks do not contain any harmful substances."
Why Is Coke Swapping Corn Syrup for Cane Sugar?
On Wednesday, Trump announced on Truth Social that Coca-Cola would use cane sugar because it's "just better."
"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," he said on his social media platform. "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 yet confirmed the move itself, telling Newsweek: "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."
Health Secretary Kennedy, who does not deny that cane sugar is also unhealthy, has long spoken out about HFCS as part of his campaign against ultra-processed foods.
Discussing the sweetener on an episode of Dr. Phil earlier this year, he said: "If you want to drink Coke, drink a Mexican Coke because they don't allow it down there."
Kennedy, and other campaigners, say that HFCS has slightly different metabolic consequences.
For example, cane sugar is 50 percent glucose and 50 percent fructose, while corn syrup is often 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose, according to the Corn Refiners Association.
This slightly higher level of fructose could put extra pressure on your liver, which has to convert fructose into glucose so you can use it for energy, according to Healthline.
Newsweek has contacted the United States Department of Health and Human Services, via email, for comment.
What Would Coke's Shift to Cane Sugar Cost?
Replace HFCS with cane sugar in some of Coca-Cola's U.S. products could carry a steep price tag and reshape agricultural demand across the country.
The move would require substantial investment in new infrastructure and supply chains, according to industry analysts cited by Reuters.
Ron Sterk, a senior editor at SOSland Publishing, an information provider for the ingredients industry in the U.S., told the outlet: "Food and beverage industries started to use corn syrup in the U.S. in the past because of costs. It is cheaper than sugar."
Similarly, the Corn Refiners Association told Reuters: "The resulting economic shock wave would lead to rural job losses and significant economic consequences to communities across the country."
One analyst, Heather Jones of Heather Jones Research, estimated that Coca-Cola's switching to cane sugar completely would cost more than $1 billion "given the current price gap between (HFCS) and cane sugar and the probability of very large price increases for the latter."
What Happens Next
Coca-Cola has not issued formal confirmation of a planned switch to cane sugar in its U.S. products, nor has it released a timetable for any such change. The company indicated new product announcements are forthcoming but did not specifically mention reformulating its flagship Coca-Cola beverage.
It is also unclear if any regulatory or industrywide changes will follow as a result of the MAHA initiative or the White House's advocacy for reformulated foods.
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