Washington [US], July 17: Soft drink company Coca-Cola has agreed to use cane sugar instead of corn syrup in its products in the US at the request of President Donald Trump.
ABC News on July 17 quoted US President Donald Trump as saying that beverage company Coca-Cola agreed to use cane sugar in its products in the US.
"I have spoken to Coca-Cola about using real cane sugar in their products in the US and they have agreed to do so. I want to thank all the people in charge at Coca-Cola. This will be a very good move by them. Everyone will see. It is simply better!", he wrote on the social network Truth Social.
In a brief statement on its website, Coca-Cola said: "We appreciate President Trump's enthusiasm for our iconic Coca-Cola brand. More details about the innovations in the Coca-Cola product line will be shared in the coming days."
High-fructose corn syrup has been the primary sweetener in Coca-Cola products in the United States since 1985. The company now uses cane sugar in products sold in several other markets, including Mexico, the United Kingdom, Africa and the Middle East.
In the US, the company also sells a small amount of cane sugar products, distinguished by yellow bottle caps instead of red.
A known fan of diet Coca-Cola, Mr. Trump's relationship with the beverage giant has been evident for years.
Before his second inauguration, Mr. Trump received a special bottle of diet Coca-Cola to commemorate his inauguration from Coca-Cola Chairman and CEO James Quincey.
The US president did not give a reason for wanting Coca-Cola to change its products in the US. However, the announcement came in the context of the "Make America Healthy Again" initiative of Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. being promoted.
The initiative cites studies that show high fructose corn syrup is linked to a host of health problems, contributing to obesity and chronic diseases.
However, research is mixed on whether cane sugar is healthier than high-fructose corn syrup.
Many studies show that any added sugar increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and other diseases. Nutritionists recommend limiting added sugar intake to less than 50 grams per day for most adults. A can of soda can contain about 39 grams of sugar.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper