President Donald Trump announced Wednesday afternoon, July 16 that Coca-Cola has agreed to use real cane sugar for its soda beverages sold in the U.S.
“I have been speaking to Coca-Cola about using REAL Cane Sugar in Coke in the United States, and they have agreed to do so,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I’d like to thank all of those in authority at Coca-Cola. This will be a very good move by them — You’ll see. It’s just better!”
USA TODAY has reached out to Coca-Cola for confirmation on the president’s announcement. A spokesperson for the company told Reuters the Atlanta-based company will share details on new offerings soon, and that it appreciates Trump’s enthusiasm for its product.
Coca-Cola uses high fructose corn syrup to sweeten its U.S. products while cane sugar is used in other countries, Reuters reported.
The president’s announced switch comes as Trump’s continues to support Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s efforts to move away from certain food ingredients, like artificial dyes. Through the Make America Healthy Again initiative, the Trump Administration aims to stop food industry from contributing to chronic health problems that Americans face from obesity to heart disease.
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A May report by the Trump-convened MAHA Commission, tasked with identifying the root causes of chronic disease, said substantial consumption of high-fructose corn syrup could play a role in childhood obesity and other conditions.
While medical experts recommend limiting added sugar in diets, they have not identified significant differences between cane sugar and high-fructose corn syrup.
Corn producers concentrated in the U.S. Midwest have long wielded considerable influence over lawmakers in Washington. The president’s home state of Florida is the nation’s top sugarcane producer.
“Replacing high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar doesn’t make sense,” said Corn Refiners Association President and CEO John Bode. “Replacing high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar would cost thousands of American food manufacturing jobs, depress farm income, and boost imports of foreign sugar, all with no nutritional benefit.”
(This story has been updated to add new information.)
Contributing: Reuters
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump says Coca-Cola agrees to use cane sugar in US sodas
