It is hard to overstate the success of President Donald Trump’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, which gained momentum when Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., now Secretary of Health and Human Services, joined the campaign.
For example, about 40 U.S. ice cream makers, representing roughly 90% of the American market, have agreed to remove seven major petroleum-based dyes by 2028.
The move is the latest voluntary effort by food manufacturers to heed calls from the Trump administration to remove synthetic dyes over concerns about potential health effects. In recent weeks, companies including Nestle, Kraft Heinz and General Mills said they would pull artificial colors from their foods, too.“This is a Renaissance moment for health in America,” U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary said at a news conference.About 40 makers of ice cream and frozen dairy desserts said they would remove seven petroleum-based dyes from their products by 2028, according to Michael Dykes, president of the International Dairy Foods Association. The colors are Red 3, Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. The trade group wouldn’t identify the firms, although Turkey Hill Dairy chief executive Andy Jacobs joined the gathering.
It looks like high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) may be next on the MAHA target list. HFCS is widely used as a sweetener in processed foods and beverages. Some studies suggested that because of the way it is processed metabolically, HFCS is contributing to the obesity crisis.
…[R]ats maintained on a diet rich in HFCS for 6 or 7 months show abnormal weight gain, increased circulating TG and augmented fat deposition. All of these factors indicate obesity. Thus, over consumption of HFCS could very well be a major factor in the “obesity epidemic,” which correlates with the upsurge in the use of HFCS.
Now Trump says that Coca-Cola has agreed to use “real” cane sugar in Coke sold in the United States.
“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, 79, revealed on 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!”Coca-Cola uses high fructose corn syrup in its US production, in contrast to cane sugar in countries like Mexico and the United Kingdom.
However, if plans for the return of sugar proceed, it may pose some economic challenges.
While Mexican Coca-Cola, made with cane sugar and packaged in glass bottles, is still imported into the U.S., it is a rarity that often comes with a hefty price tag.In the 1980s, the giant swapped cane sugar, which came with high tariffs, for high-fructose corn syrup — which was made cheaper in the U.S. due to corn farming subsidies.The switch back to cane sugar could prove costly for the company, with increased manufacturing costs and a shorter shelf life.
Of course, there are corn subsidies that weigh into the economics of soda products.
And there may need to be a review of current sugar tariffs to make the switch more palatable — in the financial sense.
But if this news turns out to be true, it is another big win for MAHA.
Image by perplexity.ai.
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