Trump says U.S. Coke will go back to cane sugar

President Trump said Wednesday that Coca-Cola has agreed to use real cane sugar in its U.S. beverages, which currently are made with high fructose corn syrup.

“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,” Mr. 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!”

Coca-Cola uses high fructose corn syrup in its U.S. beverages, but uses real cane sugar in other countries such as Mexico and Australia.

The company switched to using high fructose corn syrup in the 1980s due to costs.

Mr. Trump is an avid drinker of Diet Coke. During his first term, Mr. Trump had a button in the Oval Office that, when pressed, would summon a valet to bring him a glass of Diet Coke. Reports from earlier this year said the button has returned for his second term.

The Trump administration also has been pushing its Make America Healthy Again initiative, with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the head.

A release Tuesday from the White House said: “President Donald J. Trump took office promising to confront the chronic health crisis plaguing Americans — and six months later, he is delivering on that promise by removing harmful chemicals from our food supply.”

It announced that dozens of ice cream companies had pledged to stop using certified artificial colors in their ice cream and frozen dairy products.

The release also listed other companies that have made healthier switches, including McCormick & Company getting rid of certain food dyes, PepsiCo getting rid of artificial ingredients from its popular products, Tyson Foods eliminating synthetic dyes, and General Mills removing artificial dyes from its U.S. cereals and foods served in K-12 schools, among others.

The Washington Times has reached out to Coca-Cola for comment.