# Sugar in Coca-Cola **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [August 13, 2004, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugar-in-coca-cola/259675 "2004-08-13T12:11:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dsw1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@dsw1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dsw1)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugar-in-coca-cola/259675/1 "2004-08-13T12:11:46Z")
re: [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2\_033.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_033.html) Dear Cecil: You note that Coca-Cola, “in an effort to control costs, permitted its bottlers to substitute high-fructose corn sweetener for the beet and cane sugar once used in the product.” During Passover, apparently, Coke produces kosher Coke, which, to avoid byproducts of grain, uses cane sugar or beet sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup (read all about it at [http://www.ajhs.org/publications/chapters/chapter.cfm?documentID=270](http://www.ajhs.org/publications/chapters/chapter.cfm?documentID=270)). I’ve read that Coke aficionados also stock up on the kosher, “sugar” Coke around Passover! Regards, David ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugar-in-coca-cola/259675/2 "2004-08-13T13:29:56Z")
I can’t speak to Coke, but I know it’s true of Dr Pepper. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugar-in-coca-cola/259675/3 "2004-08-19T21:27:34Z")
> [@John W. Kennedy](#): > > I can’t speak to Coke, but I know it’s true of Dr Pepper. Where in Europe are the different Cokes available? Some cheaper stores stock German Coke (identifiable by its labelling and crappy taste) and I definatly can tell there’s a difference. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugar-in-coca-cola/259675/4 "2004-08-20T13:27:35Z")
certainly Diet Coke has a different taste when it’s made in Germany, Holland or Spain. We get stuff turning up here from as far afield as South Africa and Canada, and they taste the same as the UK-made stuff. ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugar-in-coca-cola/259675/5 "2004-08-20T19:51:02Z")
> [@dsw1](#): > > Dear Cecil: > > You note that Coca-Cola, “in an effort to control costs, permitted its bottlers to substitute high-fructose corn sweetener for the beet and cane sugar once used in the product.” During Passover, apparently, Coke produces kosher Coke, which, to avoid byproducts of grain, uses cane sugar or beet sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup (read all about it at [publications | American Jewish Historical Society](http://www.ajhs.org/publications/chapters/chapter.cfm?documentID=270)). I’ve read that Coke aficionados also stock up on the kosher, “sugar” Coke around Passover! Minor nitpick: Coca Cola is kosher year-round. However, on Passover, Ashkenazic Jews do not use certain products based on Rabbinic decree. These products (including corn) are collectively known as _kitniyos_. As such, in order to make Coca-Cola Kosher for Passover, they substitute the corn syrup for sugar for a limited run. But even the corn-syrup variety is Kosher year-round. Welcome to the boards David. Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2004, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugar-in-coca-cola/259675/6 "2004-08-21T11:46:06Z")
For more info on the distinction between “Kosher for Passover” and “[Just plain] Kosher”, you could check our Archives to find a brilliantly written and researched Staff Report: [Why can’t you put cornstarch in your Passover cheesecake?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mcornsta.html) The Staff Report is focused on cornstarch, but the cornsyrup is the same principle, obviously. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2004, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugar-in-coca-cola/259675/7 "2004-08-23T08:28:18Z")
I believe the Coca-Colas in Mexico are still _The Real Thing_.