Healthy Grilling Tips
The backyard grill sets a smoky scene for family fun and tasty meals. It can also be a source of carcinogens if you’re not careful. Don’t worry; grilling is a safe, healthy way to cook – by following a few healthy grilling tips.
When animal muscles are exposed to very high heat, compounds called heterocyclic aromatic amines (HCAs or HAAs) are produced.
These compounds appear to be carcinogenic. When fat from meat drips onto the coals and flares up, another type of carcinogen, called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), is deposited on the food. But both are easily avoided.
One of the tastiest ways to reduce any risk of carcinogens is to marinate the meats you’re cooking, which reduces the HCA formation by 90 percent, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research.
Also trim fat so that there is less of it to drip into the fire. Another option? Cut meat in smaller pieces so that it cooks more quickly.
Flip the meat frequently, rather than leaving it to blacken on the grate. Keeping water in a spray bottle nearby allows you to quickly vanquish any flare-ups from your fire. [source: Taste for Life]
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