6 minute read
Grill to Your Health by Aliza Beer, MS RD CDN
Health & F tness
Grill to Your Health
By Aliza Beer MS, RD, CDN
Summertime means barbeque time, a favorite American pastime. For years, the medical and nutrition community recommended grilling as the cleanest and leanest cooking process, since the fat drips away from the food as it cooks, but over the past several years new re search has emerged alerting us to the dangers of grilling. This research has the experts suddenly changing their tune. Let’s discuss the potential haz ards to grilling, and what, if anything, can be done to make it healthier.
What’s the problem with grilling food? To start off with, the charred meat. When red meat, poultry, or fish is cooked over a flame or at high temperatures, the muscle proteins react with the heat and form compounds known as HCAs (or heterocyclic amines). These HCAs are mutagenic, meaning they have been shown to cause destructive DNA changes in cell structures that may lead to certain cancers. Additionally, as the high heat releases fat from the meat, it drips down into the coals
or burners and then ignites, producing smoke, which also contains carcinogenic chemicals called PAHs (or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). As the smoke from the fat rises, it swirls over the food and deposits these chemicals onto your rib steak or burger. Numerous studies have shown a link between consumption of grilled red meat and an increased risk for colon, prostate, pancreatic, stomach, and breast cancers. This risk is especially prevalent if the meat is well-done. In some studies, the increased risk was as much as a whopping 60%!
Another concern is the type of meats that are usually on the barbecue menu: hot dogs, pre-packed burgers, and sausages. These come with their own cancer concerns, caused by the nitrates and nitrites that are present in these foods. Nitrates and nitrites are added to food to help preserve them and ensure a longer shelf life. When these meats are cooked over high heat, the nitrites can possibly transform into nitrosamines, another carcinogen.
Ready to terminate your relationship with your grill? Before you pack it away, let’s explore some possible solutions.
The Leaner, the Better
Always start with a lean cut of meat. Trim off excess visible fat and remove skin from poultry before grilling. This keeps grilling a lean and healthy choice for clean cooking and also minimizes the fat drips, therefore reducing flare-ups that can char meat.
Marinate Mania Marinating meats before grilling is one of the best ways to reduce the formation of HCAs by as much as 96%, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research. The reason for this is not entirely clear to researchers, but one possibility is that the marinade has a shield effect – it’s the marinade that’s getting seared instead of the meat. Marinades will also imbue meats with delicious flavor, add moisture, and tenderize tougher cuts. Your marinade should include three components: an acid, like lemon or lime juice, or a vinegar; herbs and/or spices; a little oil for moisture. Many of these ingredients are loaded with flavonoids, which may help reduce the formation of carcinogens. Marinate your foods in the fridge for at least 30 minutes prior to grilling – 1-2 hours would be preferable. Additionally, use a dry rub made with turmeric, garlic, and rosemary, which has been shown to cut down the production of HCAs by as much as 70%!
Grill Veggies and Fruit Fruits and veggies are full of antioxidants, and every meal should include some kind of veggie as a side. The best part about grilling veggies and fruits? HCAs and PAHs don’t form on them! Some great veggies to grill include eggplant (slice them into “steaks” and drizzle with olive oil and kosher salt), Portobello mushrooms, peppers, red onions, cauliflower
“steaks,” and sweet potatoes. I use olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper on almost all of my veggies, but you can experiment with herbs and spices, for there is no right or wrong way of doing it. My favorite grilled fruits are pineapple and peaches, and they make a delicious dessert.
Reduce Heat with Smaller Portions
Since cooking meat at high temperatures is one of the triggers for the formation of HCAs and PAHs, you can reduce your risk by cooking at a lower temperature. Don’t overcook your meat! A multitude of studies have linked increased cancer risk with well-done meat. A good trick is to precook the meat in a microwave for 2 minutes before grilling it. You will reduce the necessary grilling time significantly, while still getting great grilled flavor. If you reduce the portion sizes as well, you will be able to reduce time on the grill. Smaller portions cook faster, and will therefore spend less time on the grill in possibly unfavorable conditions. A great idea is grilling kebabs, chicken or meat on skewers; the small pieces will cook quickly. Another good tip is to alternate the pieces of chicken/ meat with veggies. Flip It, Don’t Fork It!
Flip your food often, about every 30-60 seconds. This will feel unnatural and may seem to go against most grilling techniques, but flipping the food often will help prevent the formation of HCAs, according to the National Cancer Institute. Turn the meat/burger/chicken with a spatula rather than a fork, as piercing the meat will release juices that may drip and smoke, contributing to possible PAH production. Eat More Fish
The American Heart Association and Aliza Beer urge everyone to eat more fish for their healthy and disease-preventing omega-3 fatty acids. I eat fish practically every day of the week. Also, fish proteins are less inclined to produce HCAs and PAHs than poultry or meat.
Many people will wrap the fish in aluminum foil with all kinds of herbs/spices/lemon and olive oil, and place that on the grill. This way, the fish is not getting charred at all. If you don’t like fish, then try reduce your red meat consumption and eat more chicken. 90% lean ground beef has 92 calories an ounce as compared to the 34 calories in one ounce of chicken. Therefore, a person will consume a few hundred calories more (and much more fat) in that
one meal simply because he or she is consuming meat instead of chicken. You can grill chicken on the bone, as cutlets, or ground chicken as burger patties.
Ditch the Dogs:
Hot dogs are probably the unhealthiest food one can possibly eat and are full of nitrates, fat, and sodium. Hot dogs should not be a weekly dietary staple. Mindfully indulge in a few hot dogs over the course of the summer and try to avoid them until next summer.
You can still enjoy your weekly Sunday night barbeques, as long as you are careful and take the appropriate precautions. However, don’t rely on grilling as your only cooking method – change it up with baking, roasting, and steaming. As always, watch the portion sizes of your protein, and fill up your plate with fresh colorful vegetables. You will then be able to celebrate summer, life, and the great outdoors – in good health!
Aliza Beer is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition. She has a private practice in Cedarhurst, NY. Patients’ success has been featured on the Dr. Oz show. Aliza can be reached at alizabeer@gmail.com, and you can follow her on Instagram at @alizabeer
