Tag: Cane sugar vs hfcs

Over 90% of a Coca-Cola is just two ingredients: carbonated water and sweetener. It's a common observation among travelers that Coca-Cola tastes subtly different depending on where it's purchased, especially when comparing American and European versions.

According to the Coca-Cola website, standard Sprite in the U.S. contains high-fructose corn syrup as a primary sweetener, a key ingredient for its sugary taste. This differs from some international versions and the diet alternatives, which use other sweeteners for their flavor profile. The use of HFCS in many American sodas dates back to cost-saving measures in the 1980s.

Over 30 million mandarins are used annually to flavor Jarritos, giving it a perceived health halo over sodas made with artificial ingredients. However, a closer look at the nutritional content reveals a more complex picture. Many popular sodas, including Jarritos, contain similar levels of sugar, which is the primary health concern for soft drink consumption.

While both are sugary sodas, a comparison of nutritional labels reveals that a standard serving of Jarritos has a slightly lower sugar content than a classic Coca-Cola, but is Jarritos healthier than Coke? Despite the difference in sweeteners—real cane sugar for Jarritos and high-fructose corn syrup for US Coke—the overall health impact is surprisingly similar due to the high sugar load in both beverages.