11 things people think are terrible for your diet that actually aren't

I'm used to the look of shame I get from my peers when I crack open a fresh can of sugar-free Red Bull. Still, the questions - and judgment - never end. "That stuff'll kill you," someone said to me the other day, shaking his head. "So many chemicals!" was the one I heard last week.

Truth be told, Red Bull (at least the sugar-free kind) isn't all that terrible for you. In fact, besides having only 10 calories and no sugar, it has only 80 milligrams of caffeine, or about a third the amount in a tall Starbucks drip coffee. As far as its other ingredients - namely B vitamins and taurine - go, scientific studies have found both to be safe.

But my favorite source of caffeine isn't the only harmless food or drink that gets a bad rap. Here are some of the rest, along with the real science behind their safety.