Experts say Coca-Cola’s cane sugar alternatives “distract” from real public health issues

As the Make America Healthy Again movement takes hold over F&B companies in the US, Coca-Cola has come under the spotlight after President Donald Trump announced he persuaded the company to use cane sugar as an alternative to high fructose corn syrup. However, an expert from the George Washington University is questioning whether it will have any nutritional or public health implications. 

Nutrition Insight speaks to Gabby Headrick, PhD, MSPH, RDN, associate director of Food and Nutrition Policy at the Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security, who states that : “Focusing on the source of sugar distracts from the real issue — the amount of added sugar.”

“Established evidence tells us that all added sugars contribute to poor health outcomes when consumed in excess. By emphasizing which type of added sugar is used rather than how much, we risk misleading consumers and undermining public health efforts aimed at reducing sugar intake.”

Public health leaders should reduce excessive sugar consumption in the long run rather than focus on the type of sugar, says the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). It urges authorities to get serious about sugar, not make sugary drinks taste “better.”

“If the goal is to improve public health, focusing on the type of sugar used in Coca-Cola is a distraction,” adds Headrick, who is also an assistant professor in the Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences at Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University.

“What matters is reducing the overall consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Policies that would have a meaningful impact include taxing sugary drinks, restricting marketing to children, and expanding access to safe drinking water. These strategies are backed by evidence and proven to help reduce sugar intake at the population level.”

CSPI urges authorities to get serious about sugar, not make sugary taste better (Image credit: The White House).In response to the cane sugar, Coca-Cola’s alternative to be available at Steak n’ Shake, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services said, “MAHA is winning.”

Potential misunderstandings about sugar

The soft drink giant will roll out a Coca-Cola version made from US cane sugar this fall to expand its product range and offer more choices for various occasions and preferences.

“Switching from high fructose corn syrup to cane sugar does not make Coca-Cola healthier,” underscores Headrick.

“Both are added sugars composed of glucose and fructose, which are two types of sugar molecules, and both are associated with adverse nutrition-related health outcomes when consumed in excess.”

“Marketing this change as a health improvement may mislead consumers, but the science is clear — a 12-oz can of Coca-Cola still contains 39 g of added sugars, which is well above the recommended daily limit. Cane sugar and high fructose corn syrup are both added sugars, and neither is a healthier option.”

Headrick stresses that regardless of source, consuming added sugars in excess puts consumers at greater risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. 

“Framing this switch as a move toward ‘cleaner’ labels doesn’t change the fact that it remains a sugar-sweetened beverage with excessive added sugar.”

“It is established in the evidence that consuming any type of added sugar in excess, including high fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, or any other added sugar — for example, rice syrups, agave nectar, corn syrup, etc. — has negative impacts on health, and all should be limited or avoided,” she advises.

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey shows added sugars exceed the recommended limit of 10% of daily calories by 34% and surpass the 50 g Daily Value by 40%.Recent research found that the type of sugar and its source matter more when at risk of diabetes than previously thought. Drinking sugar was found to increase the risk of the chronic condition, while eating it showed a possible protective association.

Alternative strategies to reduce sugar 

CSPI has suggested seven strategies to reduce sugar consumption: provide consumers with information on healthy choices, stop misleading marketing, and improve the healthy US food supply. 

The letter was sent to Kennedy, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, and FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods Kyle Diamantas.

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, cited by CSPI, shows added sugars exceed the recommended limit of 10% of daily calories by 34% and surpass the 50 g Daily Value by 40%.

The letter warns: “58–81% of females and 57–85% of males, ages two years and older, exceed the recommended daily limit of added sugars. Much of the research on added sugars focuses on the health impacts of sugar-sweetened beverages, which are the leading dietary source of added sugars for children and adults.”

“Among children, intake of added sugars, from sugar-sweetened beverages in particular, has been associated with weight gain, dental decay, and an increase in risk factors for cardiovascular disease.”

CSPI urges the FDA and HHS to:

• Establish added sugar reduction targets for packaged and restaurant foods and beverages. 
• Mandate interpretive, nutrient-specific front-of-package nutrition labels for packaged foods and beverages that include added sugars. 
• Encourage food and beverage companies to adopt the updated “Healthy” nutrient content claim. 
• Mandate added sugar disclosure at restaurants. 
• Define “low added sugars” claims and take enforcement action to prevent misleading labeling. 
• Issue guidance encouraging online retailers to provide consumers with access to the same nutrient, ingredient, and allergen information required on food and beverage packages.
• Strengthen regulations for transition formulas and toddler milks.