SAN FRANCISCO — President Donald Trump announced Wednesday Coca-Cola agreed to use real cane sugar in U.S. sold beverages.

The switch to natural cane sugar from high-fructose corn syrup, if done, would follow in the steps of many other places, including Mexico, South Africa and some European countries. 

"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," Trump wrote on his social media 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!"

Trump himself is such a fan of Diet Coke that that he had a red button installed on the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office that he can press to have a White House butler bring one in for him.

"Mexican Coke" in glass bottles is already sold in some U.S. stores and includes the use of cane sugar as opposed to the high-fructose corn syrup. 

Coca-Cola said they "appreciate President Trump's enthusiasm for our iconic Coca-Cola brand," and more details would be shared "soon." 

Coca-Cola did not respond to requests for additional information on the president's announcement.

“Replacing high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar doesn’t make sense," Corn Refiners Association President and CEO John Bode said in a statement. "President Trump stands for American manufacturing jobs, American farmers, and reducing the trade deficit. Replacing high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar would cost thousands of American food manufacturing jobs, depress farm income, and boost imports of foreign sugar, all with no nutritional benefit.”

It's unclear if the price of Coca-Cola products would adjust with the change. 

Why does the U.S. use high-fructose corn syrup instead of sugar?

High-fructose corn syrup is cheaper to manufacture and grew popular in the U.S. in the late 1970s when the general cost of sugar was high and corn was cheap thanks to government subsidies. 

Many countries limit the use of high fructose corn syrup and outright ban certain American products from being imported in. 

Brazil is the leading producer of sugar cane, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. They produced over 782 million tons of sugar cane in 2023. 

What is high fructose corn syrup?

High-fructose corn syrup is a byproduct of corn. It's derived from corn starch, which itself is simple sugar molecules joined together, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

It's often used in soft drinks, when it has a higher fructose (fruit sugar) level, or processed foods, cereals and baked goods when it has a lower level. 

The United States is the largest producer, consumer and exporter of corn in the world, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

Is high-fructose corn syrup worse than cane sugar? 

According to the FDA, they are "not aware of any evidence that there is a difference in safety between foods containing (high-fructose corn syrup) and foods containing similar amounts of other nutritive sweeteners with approximately equal glucose and fructose content, such as sucrose, honey, or other traditional sweeteners."