President Trump said Wednesday that Coca-Cola has agreed to use cane sugar in its U.S. cola, which currently relies on high-fructose corn syrup as a sweetener. In a social media post, he called the cane sugar version “just better!”
But is one of them actually better for your health?
While there are some slight differences between the two sweeteners, experts say too much of either isn’t good.
“Despite minor differences in chemical structure and metabolism, both cane sugar and high-fructose corn syrup have similar health impacts when consumed in excess, especially in the form of sugar-sweetened beverages like soda,” Avery Zenker, a registered dietitian, told CBS News.
Cane sugar, Zenker explained, is nearly 100% sucrose, which consists of approximately 50% glucose and 50% fructose — two different forms of sugars. It’s “essentially the same as table sugar,” she said. The most common form of high-fructose corn syrup contains 55% fructose and 45% glucose.
Fructose is handled differently in the body than other sugars like glucose, so the higher amount of fructose does concern some experts.
“The increased fructose amount in the (corn syrup) may seem slight, but our exposure is linked to Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, increased appetite (and) liver disease,” said Hope Barkoukis, registered dietician and chair of the department of nutrition at Case Western Reserve University.
The amount of processing involved in these products is different too, said Adrianne Kartholl, a registered dietician and clinical nutrition supervisor at provider network Parkview Health.
“Corn syrup is added to many processed foods for sweetness, and is relatively easier to acquire, inexpensive and provides more stability to products they are added to,” she said. “While cane sugar still involves processing, it is less overall than corn syrup, as it’s derived from the sugar cane plant.”
Both, however, have a similarly high glycemic index, meaning they raise blood sugar similarly, and have the same amount of calories (about 4 calories per gram), Zenker said.
Research has also shown their metabolic and cardiovascular impacts to be similar.
A 2022 meta-analysis found both high-fructose corn syrup and sucrose have similar impacts on weight and body composition markers, including waist circumference, body mass index (BMI) and fat mass. The study also found similar impacts on cholesterol, triglycerides (a type of fat found in the blood) and blood pressure.
The findings did, however, suggest that high-fructose corn syrup was associated with higher levels of inflammation compared to sucrose.
“Anything in our diets that increases overall inflammation is very concerning because inflammation is related to a wide variety of metabolic illnesses,” Barkoukis said.
In terms of dental health, Dr. Sandip Sachar, a New York-based dentist, told CBS News “neither is significantly ‘less bad’ when it comes to risk of dental cavities.”
“While these sweeteners differ in origin and processing, their impact on oral health is largely the same,” Sachar said.
When looking at sugars overall, whether it’s cane or corn syrup, Kartholl says it’s important to note both provide empty calories.
“Empty calories are those that provide energy, but lack other nutrients such as protein, healthy fats as well as micronutrients,” she said. “For most Americans, intakes of corn syrup are higher than recommended levels due to widespread use in our food products.”
The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugar intake to 25 grams, or about 6 teaspoons, per day for women and 36 grams, or 9 teaspoons, per day for men. But on average, U.S. adults eat more than 2 to 3 times the recommended amount of sugar each day, according to the organization. It lists both high-fructose corn syrup and cane sugar as added sugars to be mindful of.
“Moderation is key,” Kartholl said. “These foods ideally should not be consumed every day, and when consumed, are consumed in appropriate portion sizes.”
“Key is to limit consumption of both added sugars and corn syrup,” Barkoukis agreed.
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