Dee-Ann Durbin
The debate over whether Coca-Cola should use high-fructose corn syrup or cane sugar with its distinctive soda obscure the important facts. Consumers are looking for cola that is completely sugar free.
Introduced in 2017, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar uses both the artificial sweetener aspartame and the natural sweetener stevia in its recipes. This is one of the fastest growing products in coke, with global cases increasing 14% in the first quarter of the year. In comparison, the company’s total volume has increased by 2%.
PepsiCo also said Thursday that 60% of its sales in the second quarter in the major markets came from low sugar or diabetic drinks.
“If you look at Colas, the percentage of growth that comes from zero sugar is important,” says Duane Stanford, editor and publisher of Beverage Digest.
Coca-Cola Co. has not confirmed the president’s declaration
Scrutiny over coke sweeteners began Wednesday when President Donald Trump announced that Atlanta-based Coca-Cola had agreed to switch to sugarcane use with the regular version of U.S.-made beverages.
“I’ve been talking to Coca-Cola about using real cane sugar in US Cola, and they agreed to do so,” Trump wrote on his social media site. “I would like to thank everyone in the authority of Coca-Cola, which will be a very good move by them.
Coca-Cola did not confirm the changes. In a statement, the company praised Trump’s enthusiasm and said it would soon share details about the new product.
Stanford said he doubted that Coca-Cola would completely separate from the high fructose corn syrup, which has been sweetening coke in the United States since the 1980s. He said, and the US doesn’t make enough sugar for coke’s needs.
He hopes the Atlanta-based company will offer a sugar-sweet version of the cane in the US, as its rival Pepsi has been doing since 2009. He said since 2005, cola has enjoyed American fans by importing Mexican cola, made from cane sugar.
Rush to protect high fructose corn syrup
The corn industry was not satisfied with the speculation. In a statement Wednesday, John Bord, president and CEO of the Corn Refiners Association, said it would make no sense to replace high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar, and thousands of American manufacturing jobs would be expensive.
Shares of ADM, the maker of high fructose corn syrup, fell nearly 2% on Thursday after Trump’s announcement.
In X’s message, Coca-Cola defended high fructose corn syrup, saying it is unlikely to contribute to obesity more than table sugar or other full-calorie sweeteners.
“It’s safe. It has roughly the same calories as table sugar and is metabolized in a similar way by your body,” the company said. “Please ensure that Coca-Cola branded soft drinks are free of harmful substances.”
The Food and Drug Administration also says there is no evidence of a difference in the safety of foods sweetened with high fructose corn syrup and those sweetened with sugar, honey or other traditional sweeteners.
US consumers want more options
Soft drink preferences are very subjective. Anyone who’s involved in the Pepsi vs. Cola or 7 Up vs. Sprite debate knows. However, recent trends indicate that cola and other drink manufacturers need to focus on the types of low- and unsweetened drinks that are increasingly demanding by many consumers.
He said his data shows that the original coke was the top seller in the US last year and showed a 19% market share, while Coke Zero Sugar was ranked 7th and had a 4% market share. However, while the share of Cola Zero Sugar increased by 10%, the share of the original coke was flat.
Paige Laiden, a foodservice, flavors and ingredients report at market research firm Mintel, said that healthy halo drinks like Olipop (with 1 gram of sugar compared to 65 grams of original coke) are also putting pressure on legacy soda makers. Mintel expects full sugar soda to grow 3.4% this year in US sales, while diet soda will grow by 11.8%.
Still, nutritionists suggest avoiding adding sugar, regardless of form, as they provide empty calories without nutrients. The 2020 US Dietary Guidelines advise people to limit higher food and drinks in sugar, saying that children under the age of 2 should not be fed at all.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy opposes sugar, although his nutritional views are often divided from mainstream nutrition science. His agency is expected to release updated nutrition guidelines later this year.
“There are times when we can never eliminate, like sugar,” Kennedy said at an April press conference. “And sugar is poison, and Americans need to know that.”
Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners were also named as concerns in Kennedy’s government report published in May.
AP Health and Science Editor Jonathan Poet contributed from Philadelphia.
Original issue: July 17, 2025, 6:33pm EDT
