President Donald Trump recently announced that Coca-Cola has agreed to replace high-fructose corn syrup with cane sugar in its regular Coke sold in the U.S., a move he described as "very good." However, Coca-Cola has not yet confirmed this potential switch, and nutrition experts are weighing in on what such a change would mean for public health.

Currently, American Coke is sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, a refined liquid sweetener derived from cornstarch. This ingredient replaced cane sugar in the early 1980s due to its lower cost. While the U.S. version uses high-fructose corn syrup, many other regions globally and specific products like "Mexican Coke" in classic glass bottles still utilize cane sugar.

Despite the perception that cane sugar might be healthier because it's considered more "natural," nutritionists largely disagree. Experts like Lisa Moskovitz, RD, CDN, and Caroline Susie, RDN, LD, emphasize that both cane sugar and high-fructose corn syrup are refined sugars with very similar molecular compositions, each containing roughly a 50/50 split of fructose and glucose. Our bodies process and break down both types of sugar in the same manner, making no discernible health difference between them in a soda.

The critical takeaway from nutrition experts is that excessive consumption of any refined sugar, whether cane sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, carries significant health risks. These include a higher likelihood of weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and fatty liver disease. As Susie succinctly puts it, "At the end of the day, it's added sugar. Those added sugars really do add up."

Given these health implications, experts advise against regular soda consumption, regardless of the sweetener used. Moskovitz highlights that soda, sweetened with either option, remains an "empty-calorie, blood glucose-spiking beverage." Even diet soda, while calorie-free, offers no nutritional value. For optimal hydration, water is the gold standard, with unsweetened tea and sparkling water also recommended. For those craving a fizzy drink, Moskovitz suggests seltzer enhanced with a splash of juice or fresh fruit like berries, oranges, or limes as a healthier alternative.