Most people will admit that they can’t tell the difference between soda sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup or pure cane sugar. But if you’ve ever sipped a Coke imported from Mexico or labeled “Kosher for Passover,” the difference is obvious. Cane sugar provides a cleaner taste and a less “syrupy” mouthfeel. It’s just more refreshing.
Unfortunately, due to the obscure agricultural policies of Earl Butz (pay attention to the Farm Bill, people!), almost every can of pop out there is sweetened with nutritionally suspect high-fructose corn syrup.
But as of last month, Jones Soda, the upstart company whose innovative flavors have included a Thanksgiving pack with a Turkey & Gravy soda, has gotten caned. In a Seattle Post-Intelligencer profile titled “Seeking the Green in Pure Cane Sugar,” company founder Peter van Stolk said that Jones transitioned to sugar on April 1.
Jones joins Boylan Bottling Company, as well as several small bottlers (but interestingly, not Hansen’s Natural Soda), in just saying no to corn.
AMEN! It’s about time. My darling little grandson is allergic to corn and it is ubiquitous in so many prepared foods! Enough already, let us eat the ‘real’ sugar!
I forgot to say that iIt’s also in most sweetened medicines!! Tylenol syrup, antibiotics, etc all have some form of corn!
The article linked above shortcuts around the real reason that HFCS gained prominance. The article seems to show some anti-capalist slant that magically this cheaper but more dangerous product was found and thus used.
The true answer lies in U.S. government policy. First, corn has been one of the most heavily subsidized crops. Farmers are given taxpayer dollars based on how much corn they can produce. This floods the marketplace. Second, the U.S gov’t adds hefty tariffs to the sugar commodity prices. Sugar prices in the U.S. are way above world sugar prices due to this.
Thus, because the federal government has given a bunch of money to the corn producers to produce corn, and added taxes to the cost of sugar to help out the domestic sugar industry – you increase the cost of sugar, and lower the cost of corn. This makes it economically more attractive to use corn syrup. In the end, the consumer is harmed – yet the consumers continue to elect politicians that do these things into power.
Now, the interesting angle is – with the movement towards ethanol, corn prices have shot up. This will translate into higher costs across the board – especially for corn based foods (as well as to meat, milk, etc.). What this ethanol switch is doing is increasing the cost of high frustose corn syrup to a point where it eventually can become more expensive than the already inflated sugar price. It wouldn’t surprise me if Jones and other bottlers saw this transition coming.
The transition to sugar is a welcome change. Unfortunately, we are now paying more for sugar and corn. Inflation is a hidden tax.