Coca-Cola moved from real sugar to high-fructose corn syrup in the 1980s as part of cost-cutting
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Wednesday, stating that he is speaking with Coca-Cola to add real cane sugar in its US drinks instead of high-fructose corn syrup.
Coca-Cola responded by thanking the president for his enthusiasm and noted that “new innovative offerings” are coming soon. The company originally switched from real sugar to corn syrup in the 1980s to reduce costs.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has repeatedly criticized high-fructose corn syrup, linking it to obesity and diabetes among Americans.
However, the Corn Refiners Association argues that corn syrup and cane sugar are nutritionally equivalent and warns that a shift could negatively impact US food manufacturing and farming jobs.