A new study finds that climate change is increasing sugar consumption in the United States. As temperatures rise, Americans, especially those who are poorer and less educated, are drinking more sugary beverages. That results in more than 100 million pounds of added sugar consumed annually compared to preindustrial times. The study, published in Nature Climate Change, shows that sugar intake increases with temperatures between 54 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Researchers analyzed weather and purchase records from 2004 to 2019. They found that low-income families and people working outdoors consume more sugary drinks. This trend could worsen health inequalities as the climate continues to warm.
The debate over whether Coca-Cola should use high-fructose corn syrup or cane sugar in its signature cola obscures an important fact: Consumers are increasingly looking for Coke with no sugar at all. Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, which was introduced in 2017, uses both the artificial sweetener aspartame and the natural sweetener stevia in its recipe. It's one of Coca-Cola's fastest-growing products. The scrutiny over Coke's sweeteners began Wednesday, when President Donald Trump announced that the Atlanta company had agreed to switch to using cane sugar in the version of its trademark beverage made in the U.S. Coca-Cola didn't confirm the change, but it defended high fructose corn syrup in a social media post on Thursday.
