We’ve all heard health advice from well-meaning friends and family. Some tips stick with us for years until we learn they weren’t true at all. From diet recommendations to everyday habits, misinformation spreads quickly but dies slowly. Let’s explore 25 health myths many Americans have accepted as fact, where they came from, and what science actually tells us.
Aspartame Cancer Fears
Diet soda sweeteners supposedly cause everything from brain tumors to seizures. This myth began with a 1970 rat study using absurd amounts equivalent to 1,000 diet sodas daily. John Olney’s 1996 paper claimed brain tumor rates increased after aspartame approval, using deeply flawed correlations. Standard consumption is 100 times lower than safety limits. Multiple large studies, including a National Cancer Institute study of 500,000 people, found no cancer link at normal intake levels.