President Donald Trump recently announced that Coca-Cola had agreed to replace high-fructose corn syrup with cane sugar in regular Coke sold in the United States, a claim Coca-Cola has yet to confirm. This potential shift has sparked discussions regarding its health implications, with nutrition experts largely agreeing that such a change would not make the soda any healthier.

Currently, American Coca-Cola is sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, a refined liquid sweetener derived from cornstarch. While originally made with cane sugar, the company switched to the cheaper high-fructose corn syrup in the early 1980s. Interestingly, many other regions globally, including the makers of the popular Mexican Coke sold in glass bottles in the U.S., continue to use cane sugar as their primary sweetener.

Despite common perceptions, nutritionists emphasize that Coke sweetened with cane sugar is not superior in terms of health compared to its high-fructose corn syrup counterpart. Both are refined sugars, meaning they originate from natural sources but undergo processing that strips them of other nutrients, leaving behind pure sugar. Lisa Moskovitz, RD, CDN, highlighted that while cane sugar might appear healthier due to its 'natural' label, this 'halo effect' is misleading. Both sweeteners possess similar molecular structures, typically comprising a 50/50 split of the simple sugars fructose and glucose, and are metabolized identically by the human body.

Caroline Susie, RDN, LD, elaborated, stating that our bodies do not differentiate between cane sugar and high-fructose corn syrup; they simply recognize it as sugar to be broken down. Consuming excessive amounts of any refined sugar, regardless of its source, significantly increases the risk of adverse health outcomes such as weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and fatty liver disease. As Susie succinctly put it, “At the end of the day, it’s added sugar,” and these added sugars accumulate rapidly.

Given these insights, experts generally advise against regular soda consumption, whether sweetened with cane sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. Moskovitz describes soda as an “empty-calorie, blood glucose-spiking beverage.” While diet soda, with its lack of sugar and calories, might seem like a better alternative, experts still caution against it due to its zero nutritional value.

For optimal hydration, Susie recommends water as the gold standard, along with unsweetened tea and sparkling water. For those craving the fizz of soda, Moskovitz suggests healthier alternatives like seltzer infused with a splash of juice or flavored with fresh fruits such as berries, oranges, or limes.