Summertime is Grilling Season!
My family enjoys grilling meat and veggies on the backyard bar-b-que and since we live in sunny Southern California, we can do it almost year around. But there are some risks involved in grilling meat, so it is important to respect the nuances of grilling.
Reduce Grilling Carcinogens by 99%
Background on Grilling Carcinogens
- All meats have proteins, like creatine, and sugars.
- Grilling meat at very high temperatures naturally produces molecules called heterocyclic amines (HCAs),
- HCAs are toxic compounds also found in cigarette smoke.
- Well-done meat contains 3.5 times more HCA than medium-rare meat.
- When you compare different types of meats, the highest concentration comes from bacon. The second highest is from fried pork, followed by beef and then chicken.
- Plants don’t have the combination of creatine and sugar found in meats, so grilled veggies are great.
Reduce Grilling Carcinogens: Pre-Grill
- Teriyaki marinade reduced HCAs by 67 percent.
- A turmeric-garlic sauce reduced them by 50 percent.
- The key here is to use a thin, vinegar-based sauce, sans sugar.
- Thick, concentrated commercial barbecue sauce with added sugars, can actually triple the number of HCAs in meat.
Herbs & Spices to reduce HCA
Pre-Grill Marinades: Herbs & Spices
- Basil, mint, rosemary, sage, savory, marjoram, oregano and thyme possess powerful anticancer action in grilled meats.
- Most of these herbs are rich in three compounds — carnosic acid, carnosol and rosmarinic acid — all of which are potent antioxidants
Reduce Grilling Carcinogens: Mid-Grill
- To avoid creating carcinogens, start on a medium-high temperature and flip the meat often. This will avoid charring, and that will prevent HCAs.
- If you have multiple burners in your grill, grill up each side quickly and then turn off the burner that lies directly under the meat while keeping the other burners on. That basically transitions your grill into an oven.
To Reduce HCAs
- Don’t eat char. Think about it. Char. It’s just burnt meat.
- Don’t eat it — cut it off. If you do this one simple thing, you’ll eliminate many of the HCAs that do form despite your marinade protection.
Final Thoughts on Grilling Carcinogens
Even briefly marinating foods is effective in reducing the amount of carcinogens — 92 percent to 99 percent.
As a rule, use about one-half cup of marinade for every pound of food, although large pieces may need more to cover the food’s surface adequately.
Conclusion
By going low and slow, and refusing to eat char, you’ll be able to get outside, grill and add flavor to your barbecue without compromising your health.
