There is plenty of “junk science” reported in the media today, and in the case of diet beverages, the enormity of false reporting is cause for concern.

Why? As economist Adam Ozimek writes, “The best way to sum up the research is this: the studies that show diet soda contribute to weight gain are observational, randomized controlled trials show they don’t.”

He goes on to explain there is unwarranted confusion surrounding diet beverages because, “the claims that the evidence is mixed usually come from public health people who have far too much confidence in poorly done observational studies, or journalists who can’t parse empirical evidence.”

The reality is stories and headlines meant to scare people away from these products are not based on sound science. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration has repeatedly deemed aspartame, a widely used ingredient in low- and no-calorie products, as safe. And many studies have shown that these products can be an effective weight management tool as well.

To learn more about the safety and science behind diet beverages visit LetsClearItUp.org.