President Donald Trump claims that Coca-Cola giant has agreed to replace high-fructose corn syrup with cane sugar in its beverages sold in the United States.
Currently, Coca-Cola uses high-fructose corn syrup for products sold in the American market, but Trump’s Health Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has expressed concerns about the impact of this ingredient on health, writes BBC.
"I have spoken with Coca-Cola about using real cane sugar in Coca-Cola in the United States, and they have agreed to do so. I thank all those in Coca-Cola's leadership," Trump wrote on social media.
Although the company has not explicitly confirmed the recipe change, a Coca-Cola spokesperson conveyed that they "appreciate President Trump's enthusiasm" and that "more details about the new innovative products in the Coca-Cola range will be announced soon."
"It's just better!"
In a Wednesday post on Truth Social, Trump added: "It will be a very good move on their part - You will see. It's just better!"
While Coca-Cola sold in the US is usually sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, versions sold in other countries such as Mexico, the UK, or Australia use cane sugar.
In April, Coca-Cola's CEO, James Quincey, told investors that "we are making progress in reducing the amount of sugar in our beverages."
He explained that the Atlanta-based company has achieved this "by changing recipes and using global marketing resources and distribution networks to increase awareness and interest in our continuously expanding portfolio."
However, any decision to use cane sugar could leave a bitter taste for American corn farmers.
"Replacing high-fructose corn syrup with cane sugar would lead to the loss of thousands of jobs in the American food industry, reduce farmers' incomes, and increase sugar imports from abroad - with no nutritional benefit," warned John Bode, President and CEO of the Corn Refiners Association.
Health Risk
American Health Secretary and his "Make America Healthy Again" movement advocate for the elimination of ingredients such as high-fructose corn syrup, seed oils, and artificial colorings from food products, which they associate with numerous health issues.
Kennedy has also criticized the excessive amount of sugar consumed by Americans and plans to update national dietary guidelines this summer.
Despite these stances, Donald Trump is a regular consumer of Diet Coke (also known as Coke Zero) - which contains the artificial sweetener aspartame. He even had a special button installed on the Oval Office desk to have his favorite drink brought to him.