# Coke with pure cane sugar will soon be available! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [July 22, 2025, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205 "2025-07-22T23:38:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205/41 "2025-07-23T10:52:25Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Coca Cola Bottle plants used to collect the bottles from the stores. Then wash and sterilize bottles for reuse. I haven’t been to Cd. Juárez in a while (I stopped visiting when the level of lead in the atmosphere started going up) but they were doing this there. The bottles were much heavier than single use glass bottles we get here. There was a substantial deposit on each. I heard that some rival bottler tried starting up and the legacy bottler paid people to buy and break all their bottles. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205/42 "2025-07-23T12:50:46Z")
I knew someone who was allergic to corn, which included anything with HFCS. I remember her asking friends who went to Canada or Mexico to bring back cases of cane-sugar Coke. With the prevalence of HFCS in most prepared foods today, I think she has to be very careful when she’s shopping. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205/43 "2025-07-23T13:09:42Z")
I have a friend who is allergic to corn and chicken. Because hfcs is in everything, it took months of careful for diaries and several medical professionals before she was diagnosed. She buys duck eggs when she can get them. She doesn’t drink soda. I doubt she’s waiting on tenterhooks to get cane-sweetened Coke. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205/44 "2025-07-23T14:26:06Z")
I realize Sweetened soda isn’t a healthy option. Fruit juices also have a lot of sugar. The juice glasses in my childhood were 4 oz. Now some parents give toddlers sippy cups of juice. Consumers need to carefully consider their entire diet. [I’m still reading](https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-high-fructose-corn-syrup-is-bad#4-Excessive-intake-is-linked-to-diabetes) about HFCS and weighing the conflicting information. I’ve been cutting back on my soda consumption for many years. I eliminated the 20 oz bottles a long time ago. Mexican Coke is in 355 ml bottles. 12 oz An occasional Coke on a blistering hot summer day is always a nice treat. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205/45 "2025-07-23T14:31:34Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Apparently plastic bottles of Coke sell at significantly higher volumes than glass..by huge numbers. Is that a surprise, given how much more widely available Coca-Cola is in plastic bottles, especially the 20 ounce bottles? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205/46 "2025-07-23T14:45:33Z")
And the plastic bottles are cheaper to make and to ship, which shows up in a significant price difference. ---
**Author:** ![Ynnad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4491bb/32.png) [@Ynnad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ynnad)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205/47 "2025-07-23T14:46:09Z")
Pure cane sugar is the disaccharide sucrose. Sucrose can be hydrolyzed into the monosaccharides glucose and fructose. This hydrolysis occurs readily at a lower pH and elevated temperature. I first learned of this many years ago when I had to produce invert sugar (hydrolyzed sucrose) as an ingredient of homemade beer. Invert sugar contains equal parts of glucose and fructose. Due to the presence of phosphoric acid, Coca Cola has a pH of about 2.5, which is rather acidic. It is not inconceivable that Mexican Coca Cola is subjected to prolonged periods of elevated temperatures during transportation, storage, and distribution. It is quite likely that most, if not all, of the sucrose in Mexican Coca Cola has hydrolyzed into glucose and fructose by the time it reaches the typical American consumer. Typical high fructose corn syrup is about 55% fructose and about 45% glucose. Therefore, I suggest that the most Mexican Coca Cola consumed by Americans contains the same sugars in **about** the same proportions as Coca Cola made with high fructose corn syrup. I concede that there may be other subtle differences between Mexican Coca Cola and American Coca Cola. But I do not believe that there are any significant differences due to sugar content. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205/48 "2025-07-23T14:47:49Z")
> [@Ynnad](#): > > proportions as Coca Cola made with high fructose corn syrup. I concede that there may be other subtle differences between Mexican Coca Cola and American Coca Cola. People buy it because it tastes better, not because it’s healthy. (At least in the vast majority of cases.) ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205/49 "2025-07-23T14:54:01Z")
This is great, I’m so tired of it being cut with talcum powder. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205/51 "2025-07-23T15:23:42Z")
I’ve been a borderline diabetic for years, which so far my doctor has kept under control using varying doses of metformin. As a result, I generally do not drink sugared drinks, mostly water, Crystal Lite, and fruit juices. With the last, I always check the labels to ensure they’re 100% juice without HFCS (I have to be careful because sometimes the front label has “100%” on it, but it’s not referring to the juice content but the amount of Vitamin C.) I do occasionally treat myself to carbonated drinks, but almost always stick to diet varieties. My preferences also run to ginger ale and root beer rather than colas. ---
**Author:** ![Tokushizu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@Tokushizu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tokushizu)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205/52 "2025-07-23T15:39:04Z")
You may find this interesting as it directly correlates with your theory. I saw it a few months ago and remembered it. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/NY66qpMFOYo/maxresdefault.jpg "Everyone is Wrong About Mexican Coke (Even @johnnyharris)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NY66qpMFOYo) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205/53 "2025-07-23T15:44:34Z")
Is there a difference in the taste of fructose and glucose? ---
**Author:** ![Ynnad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4491bb/32.png) [@Ynnad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ynnad)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205/54 "2025-07-23T15:53:28Z")
I have heard that some people find fructose to be a little sweeter. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205/55 "2025-07-23T16:31:40Z")
I can’t and I would wager that I drink more coke than anyone else on this board. I know that’s not good, but I’ve been doing it at least since middle school. My mom probably made me drink milk and juice, but as an adult I typically don’t drink anything else. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205/56 "2025-07-23T19:15:42Z")
> [@Choochoocharlie](#): > > The official Coke version of the New Coke fiasco was that the “Pepsi Challenge” blind taste commercials were actually accurate Most blind taster prefer Pepsi- of those that can tell the difference. INHO it is because Pepsi have citrus notes while Coke has spice notes. But if you hand a diehard Coke drinker a bottle of pepsi, he will swear it doesnt taste right. > [@Tokushizu](#): > > You may find this interesting as it directly correlates with your theory. I saw it a few months ago and remembered it. Great cite, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205/57 "2025-07-23T19:32:36Z")
I’m gonna say no. The average consumer just wants the hit. If you drink can after can of coke and eat a bunch of sweetened foods, youre not stopping long enough to taste. It’s like the pro-wine taster, he can tell the difference, down to where the grape was grown and the rains that year. The wino in the gutter, can not, don’t care either. He just wants the hit. Yes, juices can have lots of sugar added. Pretty much everything we buy to consume has way waaaaay too much sugar added. Look at the “added” percent before you buy. Manufacturers would not sell their product if they didn’t make it taste good. It tastes better with added sugars. Why do we like it? Simple; addiction. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205/58 "2025-07-23T19:49:19Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Most blind taster prefer Pepsi- of those that can tell the difference. INHO it is because Pepsi have citrus notes while Coke has spice notes. Speaking as a market research professional, who’s studied the New Coke case study several times: _yes, and_. In general, sweeter things tend to do better in blind taste tests, compared to not-as-sweet things. The flavor profile for OG Pepsi was/is sweeter than that for OG Coca-Cola. Given that, it’s not too surprising that Pepsi consistently beat Coke in those Pepsi Challenge stunts. I’d be curious if @aceplace57 could tell the difference between U.S. Coke and Mexican Coke, and correctly identify which is which, in a blind taste test. Yes, I know, _some_ people will select Coke, even in a blind taste test. And _some_ people can taste the difference between the two in a blind test, and accurately identify which is which. But, I strongly suspect that such people are in the minority. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205/59 "2025-07-23T19:51:27Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > INHO it is because Pepsi have citrus notes while Coke has spice notes. Interesting. _That’s_ why adding a wedge of lemon to a Coke makes it taste better (a lot) to me. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205/60 "2025-07-23T19:55:07Z")
I’m pretty addicted to Mexican Coke - I have a bottle a day at present, but I’d really like to step it down. Unfortunately soda is my go-to instant stress relief. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205/61 "2025-07-23T19:55:18Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > In general, sweeter things tend to do better in blind taste tests, compared to not-as-sweet things. The flavor profile for OG Pepsi was/is sweeter than that for OG Coca-Cola. Given that, it’s not too surprising that Pepsi consistently beat Coke in those Pepsi Challenge stunts. It has more sugar, but oddly many tasters think Pepsi is less sweet than Coke due to Pepsis citrus flavor, which tends to decrease how much you think something is sweet. > [@carrps](#): > > Interesting. _That’s_ why adding a wedge of lemon to a Coke makes it taste better (a lot) to me. Yep, I do the same- or a lime wedge. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-with-pure-cane-sugar-will-soon-be-available/1021205.md?page=4)