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The Health of Barbecuing
Category: Diet and Nutrition
Grilling is the classic American summer pastime. In fact, some believe that grilling is a healthier alternative to other cooking modalities. While grilling may avoid some of the ill effects of frying in oil, there is a dark side - cancer causing compounds are produced when cooking meats on a barbecue. The carcinogenic compounds of concern are called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) which are the result of a chemical reaction where substances in meat are converted to HCAs under intense heat. The darkened or blackened sections on meat are the most concentrated and should certainly be avoided. Higher consumption of HCAs has demonstrated 3-5 fold risk in developing stomach, breast and colon cancer.
So how can you still enjoy your summer barbecue knowing these startling facts? There are a few simple steps that can reduce the level of HCAs on meats:
1. Raise the grill level so that the meat is not exposed to such intense heat.
2. Choose leaner cuts of meat, to avoid the concentrated char that develops on fatty sections.
3. Marinate meats prior to cooking. This can reduce the levels of HCAs by up to 96%.
4. Microwaving meat for 2 minutes before grilling can reduce HCAs by 90%.
5. Eating fermented products like sauerkraut with your grilled meats can also limit your exposure to HCAs.
6. Eating a diet rich in antioxidants (colorful fruits and vegetables) and taking antioxidant supplements can help quench free radicals, reducing damage caused by HCAs.
7. Eating foods, like dark green vegetables, especially broccoli, that enhance the liver's ability to detoxify harmful substances.
Posted by Dr. Jennifer Stagg on December 26, 2013 10:00 AM
