Daily Health News Blog

You know that many fried foods pose a health risk because of their saturated fat content. Now the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that food fried -- and baked -- at high temperatures is cause for concern. High-temperature frying, baking and toasting causes certain sugars and an amino acid in mainly plant-based foods like bread, potatoes, cereal, crackers, coffee and dried fruit to form acrylamide, a chemical that causes cancer in animals. Scientists suspect that acrylamide causes cancer in humans, too. Although you can't eliminate acrylamide from your diet -- it's estimated to be in up to 40 percent of the calories Americans consume -- the FDA suggests taking these steps to decrease your intake of acrylamide: Lightly toast your bread until it's a golden -- not dark -- brown. Don't eat areas of food that are burned or dark from cooking. Don't overcook food like frozen French fries -- they should be a golden yellow color. Store potatoes in a dark, coo