Mexican Coke in US

Mexican coke is almost legendary for good reason.  You probably did (or should have) become aware of the adverse health impact of the high fructose corn syrup used in most soft drinks, including Coca-Cola, several years ago.  It turns out that good old fashioned (and healthier) Coke made with cane sugar was still being made in Mexico.  Now,  you can buy that somewhat healthier, original flavor Coke at many main stream retailers.  Of course,  don’t get too excited about your new found healthy drink. At 53 grams of real sugar in a 16.9 oz bottle,  Mexican coke is still not a candidate to be a mainstay in a healthy diet.

Read the Label !

So you would assume you  can feed an occasional Mexican Coke craving when you go to Mexico, without bogus sweeteners.  Well…maybe not!    I am not sure if it is the same in other areas, but in our recent trip to the Puerto Vallarta area,  after a long, hot hike,  I had a craving for good old Coke.   I had noticed, to my amusement, last trip that Coke bottles in Mexico have big warning tags in Spanish declaring Excessive Calories and Excessive Sugars.   This time I looked closer and was shocked to discover that along with azucar (sugar) there was also jarabe de maíz de alta fructosa  (high fructose corn syrup) in the ingredients list !

Reduced Sugar?

At another convenience store, I noted there were only two Coke options.  Coke sin azucar (no sugar) and Coke with the label “Refresco reducido en azucar”  which means soft drink with reduced sugar.    That sounded great, however my taste buds, ever vigilant for artificial sweetness,  detected something suspicious.  Sure enough, when I checked the ingresos (ingredients)   an artificial sweetener was in the list.   Nope. Nope. Nope.

What To Do

So, in conclusion,  I am not sure if you can get “Mexican Coke” anywhere in Mexico , but all I was able to find was a no win choice between high fructose corn syrup and sugar PLUS an artificial sweetener.  I guess if you want Mexican Coca Cola on your Mexican vacation, you will have to put some bottles in your checked bag and take it with you.