Trump Says Coke Will Make the Switch to Cane Sugar—Is It Actually Healthier?

President Donald Trump posted on social networks on Wednesday that Coca-Cola agreed to use cane sugar regularly Coke Sold in the United States “It will be a very good decision by them – you will see. It’s just better!” He wrote.

According to the Associated PressCoca-Cola has not yet confirmed the switch, but the announcement raises questions about what potential change would really mean for your health. Here is what nutrition experts think.

The American coke is sweet with High fructose corn syrup, A liquid sweetener based on cornstarch. It’s a refined sugar, This means that it comes from natural sources but has been transformed to eliminate other nutrients, leaving only pure sugar.

The coke was originally done with cane sugar, but in the early 1980s, the company went to corn syrup with high fructose content, a cheaper sweetener.

Many other parts of the world still make coke with cane sugar. For example, the Mexican coke, sold in classic glass bottles in the United States, still uses cane sugar.

Coca with cane sugar is not healthier Whether coke sofa with high -fructose corn syrup, experts said. Actually, The sweeteners are quite similar.

Cane sugar, which comes from sugar cane or sugar beets, is also a refined sugar. “The cane sugar on the surface may seem healthier because it is” natural “, but this halo effect stops there”, Lisa Moskovitz, RD, CEO of NY NUTRITION Group and author of The basic food plan 3, said Health in an email.

The sweeteners have similar molecular makeup – both containing a 50/50 division of simple sugars fructose and glucose – and are digested in the same way in your body.

“Our body will not know if it is cane sugar or corn syrup rich in fructose. We simply know that it is sugar and that we must decompose,” said Caroline Susie, RDN, LD, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics with private practice in Dallas, said Health.

Susie said that consumption of an excessive quantity of any refined sugar can cause a higher risk of weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and fatty liver disease.

“In the end, it’s added sugar,” she said. “These added sugars really add up.”

While the occasional soda is correct, the experts Do not recommend it regularly.

“Whether soda is sweet with cane sugar or high -fructose corn syrup, it is always an empty drink in calories and blood glucose,” said Moskovitz.

Diet soda, containing neither sugar nor calories, is a slightly better option, but experts still do not recommend it. “SODA – Regular or diet – does not provide any nutrients,” said Susie.

The golden stallion for hydration is water, said Susie, and it also recommends unsweetened tea and sparkling water.

If you really want a soda, Moskovitz suggests Seltzer with a touch of juice or flavored with fruit, such as berries, oranges or files.