Is Grilling Your Food Healthy?

It’s summertime and one of the top five things you think about is probably grilling out. Did you know that grilling and barbequing your meats may actually pose a cancer risk? The charred burn and the overly well-done burgers (we call those hockey pucks in our house) may actually increase your chances of developing cancer! Why is this, you ask? It is said that cooking meats at high temps causes carcinogens to form. These are HCAs (heterocyclic amines) and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). Scientists say that the drippings from the meat creates smoke and flames which leads to the formation of these carcinogens.  

            Luckily, there are some things we can do so that we can enjoy that barbeque. Remember when you were younger, and you burned your toast to a crisp? For some reason, we didn’t throw the toast away. We took the knife and scraped off all the blackened char from the bread…and ate it. Well, you can do the same thing with charred meat.   

            You can marinate your meat for at least 30 minutes. It’s not known why but marinades seem to protect the food by creating a barrier. Keep those flames down somewhat to lessen the chances of your food burning.

            Decrease the cooking time to lessen the amount of exposure to the smoke and flames. Flipping the food frequently reduces HCAs by about 75 to 95 percent, according to research done. (This rule goes against everything my husband says!) You can slightly precook your meat in the oven first, then place it on the grill for that “grilled” flavor. Choosing to use a gas grill instead of a charcoal grill also cuts down on the exposure as well. What I do a lot is to use my gas grill like an oven. I use a glass baking dish to bake the food, then place it on the grates. I spray the grates with an organic oil to prevent sticking and I keep the flames turned down to prevent burning.

Keep your grill clean, especially before cooking. This cuts down on any residue that can be carcinogenic. A tip my husband taught me is to only use a cloth for cleaning the grill grates. Don’t use the typical grate brushes you see everywhere. These brushes scrape up the coating on the grates causing a whole different set of carcinogens! Using a cloth prevents this, stops rust from forming and helps the grates to last a lot longer. I've not checked into this, but I've seen they have grilling mats now too, to protect your food from the flames and smoke but still allow for that great grilled flavor. May be worth looking into.

Last but not least, experts say to swap out meats for fruits, veggies or veggie burgers as HCAs and PAHs only form in muscle proteins. While veggie replacements for meats don’t always fly in my house, choosing to add grilled fruits and veggies makes a great addition to your barbeque meal. The phytochemicals and antioxidants found in fruits and veggies will actually help to reduce your risk of certain cancers. Always choose organic grass-fed meats, poultry and fish. Don’t forget healthy sides like a big, delicious organic green leafy salad with an ice-cold mason jar of stevia-sweetened organic green tea!