Cancer fears around food are common in the U.S., where the American Cancer Society estimated about 2 million new cancer cases for 2025. But several foods still get blamed without solid evidence, according to reviews from the National Cancer Institute, FDA, WHO and major university researchers. Here are seven foods that many people worry about, even though current evidence does not show they cause cancer by themselves.
Microwave popcorn
Microwave popcorn got a bad reputation in the 2000s because some bags used perfluorinated chemicals and some factories reported lung illness tied to butter-flavoring chemicals, according to CDC reporting from that era. That issue was about certain packaging chemicals and workplace inhalation exposure, not popcorn itself.
The American Cancer Society has stated there is no clear evidence that eating microwave popcorn causes cancer. Many major U.S. brands also removed older grease-resistant chemicals years ago, after shifts in packaging standards and consumer pressure around 2015.
Coffee
Coffee was once viewed with suspicion, but in 2016 the International Agency for Research on Cancer said it was not classifiable as carcinogenic to humans based on available evidence. That decision reversed older concern after researchers reviewed more than 1,000 studies.
The National Cancer Institute also says evidence does not show a consistent link between coffee drinking and cancer risk. In fact, some studies have found lower risk for certain cancers among regular coffee drinkers, though that does not make coffee a treatment.
Eggs
Eggs have been dragged into cancer debates because of cholesterol and older diet theories, but major cancer agencies do not list eggs as a known cause of cancer. The American Institute for Cancer Research focuses more on overall diet patterns, body weight, and alcohol.
Research results on eggs and cancer have been mixed, which is not the same as proof of harm. A 2023 review in Nutrients found inconsistent associations across cancer types, meaning eggs themselves have not been established as a direct cause.
Sugar
Sugar may be the most repeated food myth in cancer talk, but the National Cancer Institute says no study has shown that sugar directly makes cancer cells grow faster in a way that proves eating sugar causes cancer. All cells use glucose, not just cancer cells.
What is supported by evidence is that diets high in added sugar can contribute to obesity, and obesity is linked to at least 13 cancers, according to the CDC. That is an indirect risk pattern, not proof that sugar itself causes cancer.
Dairy
Dairy often gets labeled dangerous online, but the evidence is more complicated than social posts suggest. The American Cancer Society says dairy foods have not been proven to increase overall cancer risk, though some studies have looked at possible links with specific cancers.
A 2018 World Cancer Research Fund report found strong evidence that dairy products may actually lower colorectal cancer risk. Findings on prostate cancer have been less clear, which means dairy is still not accurately described as a confirmed cancer-causing food.
Soy
Soy has long faced cancer rumors because it contains isoflavones, which can weakly act like estrogen in the body. But the American Cancer Society says studies in people do not show soy foods increase breast cancer risk, including among survivors.
That matters because soy foods such as tofu, edamame, and soy milk are common in U.S. grocery stores and school lunch alternatives. MD Anderson Cancer Center has also stated that moderate soy intake is considered safe based on current human research.
Artificial sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners have been debated since the 1970s, especially saccharin, after older rodent studies raised alarms. But the National Cancer Institute says studies in humans have not provided clear evidence that approved sweeteners such as aspartame or sucralose cause cancer.
In July 2023, IARC classified aspartame as possibly carcinogenic, while the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives said the acceptable daily intake did not need to change. For U.S. consumers, that means cancer risk has not been established at normal intake levels.
