You think you know why American Coke swapped cane sugar for corn syrup—but the real story is fizzier (and stickier) than you'd expect
Here’s the Real Reason You Can’t Find Coke with Real Sugar in the U.S.
Published on Apr. 16, 2025
Want to be a hit at your next dinner party or office lunch? Drop this little factoid into conversation: “You know Coke used to be made with real sugar, right?” You’ll get one of two responses: “Wait, Coke is not made with sugar?” or “Wait, was Coke ever made with sugar?” (There’s a possible third response—”I don’t care, I only drink Diet Coke “—but we’re going to disregard that sanctimonious group for the purposes of this article.) Both responses make sense, because the real answer is incredibly confusing and involves a lot of economics, history, politics, trade secrets and, like all good stories, tax law.
But first, why does it matter which sweetener your soda is spiked with? “At first glance, you wouldn’t think it’s a big deal, but the different sweeteners are metabolized differently in the body, and the most popular one used in soda is metabolized in the liver, so if you’re consuming a lot of it, it can lead to a wide variety of health problems like diabetes, inflammation, elevated triglycerides and fat gain, especially around the midsection,” explains Shawn Talbott, PhD, LDN, a nutritional biochemist and licensed dietitian nutritionist who has helped many food companies formulate their products.
So if this ingredient is such a problem, we asked Talbott to explain: Why doesn’t Coke in the U.S. just use real sugar anymore? And is that why Coke tastes different in Mexico? And why do those glass bottles with Spanish labels always feel … fancier? Better? More authentic? (Even if you’re drinking it in a gas station parking lot out of a Styrofoam cooler?) Read on to find out what this sweetener is, why it’s used, and where you can find Coke made with sugar in the U.S.
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What’s the sweetener in Coke in the U.S., anyway?
The sweet stuff in your regular American Coke is high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). This syrupy concoction is made from—you guessed it—corn, and it’s way cheaper to produce than sugar, especially in this country, where corn is grown in biblical quantities.
The sweetener is used in all kinds of processed foods, including condiments, snacks, yogurt, cereal, baked goods, candy and, of course, soda pop—but is that a bad thing? Is HFCS worse for you than regular sugar?
“Regular sugar (sucrose) isn’t ‘healthier,’ it’s just that eating a lot of HFCS is especially toxic,” Talbott explains. “It also probably means you’re also consuming a lot of highly processed foods in general, which is not great.”
But does it taste different? Both sugar and HFCS taste sweet. That’s it. That’s their whole flavor profile. However, some people say that because of its syrupy texture, HFCS makes Coke taste a little heavier or stickier. Want to see if you’re one of these super tasters? Try a side-by-side test. (Which, by the way, is the best kind of science experiment and we totally recommend you try it and report back.)
But while HFCS might hit your taste buds a little differently, the bigger issue isn’t just flavor—it’s everything from potential health concerns to trade policy to economic decisions that were made when Miami Vice was still on TV, aka the 1980s.
When did Coke stop using real sugar?
Ready for a shock? Coca-Cola only stopped using real cane sugar in the U.S. in 1984. I had always assumed this happened in, like, 1950. Or maybe after Coca-Cola stopped putting actual cocaine in the formula (which was really a thing, but they took that out in 1903, thank heavens). But Coke didn’t swap out cane sugar for high-fructose corn syrup in the U.S. until the mid-1980s. Yep. Ronald Reagan was president. Madonna was in her “Like a Virgin” phase. And quietly, in factories across America, corn syrup was sneaking into your soda. What a time to be alive!
Why doesn’t Coke in the U.S. have sugar?
“HFCS is used instead of sugar by lots of processed foods manufacturers, including soda companies, for some very practical reasons,” Talbott says.
It’s not just about practicality, though. “There are some important legal-related issues that contribute to why most sodas are made with high fructose corn syrup instead of cane sugar in the U.S.,” says Ben Michael, attorney at Michael & Associates.
Let’s take a look at the reasons, from business to politics, and even a spoonful of sweet, sweet deception.
It’s cheaper
Corn is subsidized in the U.S., sugar is not (at least, not in the same way). That means it’s way less expensive for companies to use HFCS, Michael says. And if there’s one thing big corporations love, it’s not spending more money than they have to.
It’s sweeter
Coca-Cola uses HFCS-55, about 55% fructose and 45% glucose—which makes it slightly sweeter than table sugar, which is a 50/50 split of fructose and glucose. “It’s the extra bit of fructose that gives HFCS the extra sweetness, meaning that manufacturers can use slightly less of it to get the same level of perceived sweetness,” Talbott explains.
It has a longer shelf life
The extra fructose in the HFCS-55 formulation also “makes the soda more stable, giving it a slightly longer shelf life than sodas made with cane or beet sugar,” Talbott says. Longer shelf life means less money lost in waste and unsold sodas.
It skirts U.S. trade laws
“The government intervened during the Reagan administration and signed a law that placed high tariffs and quotas on imported cane sugar,” in response to the U.S. sugar lobby, Michael says. “And U.S. trade policies still limit sugar imports to this day.” These tariffs made sugar in the U.S. cost more than in many other countries. However, there are no tariffs on HFCS—made from good ol’ American corn—so it avoids these extra fees, saving Coca-Cola money, he explains.
It’s in the factory design
HFCS is processed differently than sugar and requires different equipment to add it to the drink recipe. So, once Coca-Cola made the switch, bottling plants and suppliers had to change their factories. Going back to sugar would mean reversing that infrastructure. And unless there is a big demand for it, they’re probably not in a rush to retool the entire factory floor.
Will Coca-Cola ever make U.S. Coke with real sugar again?
Technically, it already does. They do make special batches with real sugar, especially around Passover. These bottles usually have a yellow cap and are certified kosher—because corn products aren’t considered kosher for Passover by Jews of Eastern European descent. But while there isn’t a large group of customers clamoring for Real Sugar Coke, the yellow-capped arrival every year is kind of a big deal among soda superfans.
Competitors Pepsi and Mountain Dew have released “throwback” versions of their drinks using real sugar, which Coca-Cola has answered (sort of) with limited releases like “Coca-Cola Life”—a soda that mixed cane sugar and stevia before quietly disappearing from shelves. So, it appears that while it’s not a priority—the company hasn’t released an official statement on the controversy—the company definitely knows some of us are paying attention.
Where can you get Coke with real sugar in it?
If you prefer your soda the old-fashioned way, you’re in luck, as there are many places that sell Coke with real sugar.
- Mexican Coke. This is the easiest variety to find. It comes in glass bottles, often with a paper label, and yes, it contains real cane sugar. Many U.S. grocery stores carry it, including Costco (sometimes), but you will have to pay a little more and ignore the irony of paying a premium for an American product exported to another country and then imported back here.
- European Coke. Coca Cola in Europe, particularly the U.K., is still made with sugar. Australia also serves sugar-cane Coke.
Fun fact: The U.S. is one of the few places where HFCS is still widely used in soda. Most other countries stick with cane sugar. Just chalk it up as another one of those “Only in America” moments—just like cheese in a can.
Are there any sodas in the U.S. that contain real sugar?
Yes, there are plenty of brands sold in the U.S. that are proudly sugar-sweetened. If you’re craving carbonation without the corn, try these:
- Hansen’s Natural Soda: You’ll most often find these pure-cane-sugar sodas in health food stores.
- Jarritos: A Mexican soda brand that’s all over the U.S. now, known for its fun fruity flavors.
- IBC: Classic American soda brand that reformulated all its sodas in 2016 to be made with cane sugar.
- Pepsi Cola Soda Shop Made with Real Sugar: Yes, that is its name.
- Dr. Pepper Real Sugar Soda: Comes in glass bottles and is also imported.
- Boylan Bottling Company: Classic, small-batch sodas made with pure cane sugar.
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Sources:
- Shawn Talbott, PhD, LDN, nutritional biochemist and author; phone interview, Mar. 31, 2025
- Ben Michael, attorney, Michael & Associates; email interview, Mar. 31, 2025
- Coca-Cola: “Sugar”
