Summary : Health experts advise at least six to 11 servings of grain food daily, and up to six to seven ounces of meat or equivalent to help ensure an adequate but not excessive intake of iron. This highly-publicized case study provides several important reminders for evaluating scientific research: 1) Remember an epidemiological study is valuable in identifying possible relationships between two variables, but does not demonstrate a cause and effect relationship. 2) Examine research thoroughly before jumping to any conclusions or modifying dietary practices. Go beyond the headlines to assess the size and generalizability of the study sample, for example, if it was published in a peer-reviewed journal; 3) Assess how the fingdings fit into the large body of research on a subject, and if they are corroborated by other researchers over time.