Last week a friend asked me what I thought about the new research that reported cooking carbohydrates caused the formation of a carcinogenic agents. "I don't think so," I replied. But my friend was persistent and another friend confirmed his story. Neither could tell me where they'd seen or heard this information but wanted to know if they should avoid french fries or baked potatoes -- two of the carbohydrates specifically mentioned in the news report.

It turns out that last week researchers from Sweden's National Food Administration released a preliminary study that suggests that certain high-carbohydrate foods, when baked or fried (potatoes for example) may spontaneously produce a substance called acrylamide.

Acrylamide is used in the manufacturing of plastics. Studies in rats (not humans) suggest that high levels of this substance could cause cancer.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization responded immediately to the report by pointing out that "Unfortunately, the information available does not allow us to draw conclusions or to make recommendations for consumers or food manufacturers." They added, "We understand from the report that this is not a new risk. This contaminant has probably been present in such foods since mankind started to bake and fry." The comments were followed by an old and not newsworthy recommendation: Consume a well-balanced and diversified diet prepared in ways that preserve nutrient content.

Consumers beware. The news networks are eager to satisfy your search for a healthy lifestyle by picking up on anything that might be newsworthy. Often they simply make a mountain out of a molehill, publish only part of the facts or, in this case, choose a preliminary report about a study that had not been reviewed or published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Some of the "red flag" words you can look for when you read these stories in the future are, "may produce," "studies in rats," preliminary reports," and "could cause cancer". Expect to see reliable resources cited. Use good sense, check the source of the story and remember: just because it's in the newspaper or on the TV news (or in an email or at an internet site) doesn't mean it's true.

Most importantly, don't focus on a tree when there's an entire forest of life waiting to be enjoyed. Exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet, follow your dreams, hug your friends, stretch beyond your perceived limits, learn from the past but live in the present and remember that "attitude is everything".