People used to question the nutritional effects of
barbecuing because they were concerned about the fat content of traditional
barbecue fare like hot dogs and hamburgers. That concern is valid, but it’s
easily avoided by substituting skinless chicken and fish.
Unfortunately, researchers say there is still another
concern about the health impact of barbecuing any animal meats; when they are
cooked in the intense heat of the barbecue, substances are formed that have
been clearly shown to be carcinogens (substances that can start the development
of cancer). And these substances develop regardless of whether low-fat or
high-fat, red meat or white meat is on the grill.
In a landmark report on diet and cancer risk, the American
Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) notes that as meat – red or white – is
cooked, natural substances that it contains react under intense heat to form
compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) that have been linked with
increased cancer risk in some animal studies. The longer the cooking time and
higher the temperature, the more these carcinogenic substances formed.
Studies in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute have
shown that people who frequently eat heavily browned or very well done meat are
three to five times more likely to develop breast, colon and stomach cancer
than those who eat it less often. Studies of rodents demonstrated that these
HCAs are distributed to mammary (breast) tissue and cause changes in a cell’s
genetic material. However, we don’t have proof that this process occurs in
people.
Does this mean that if you care about your health you must
banish the grill? Not necessarily. Researchers note that how people barbecue
affects the risks. For example, marinating meat or poultry even briefly before
cooking reduces the amount of HCAs formed by about 96 percent. Partially
pre-cooking meat for two minutes in the microwave just before grilling prevents
90 percent of the HCAs normally formed.
Avoid the black char that often forms during grilling, since
it is particularly concentrated in cancer-causing substances. Other carcinogens
of concern come from the smoke. You can limit the meat’s contact with smoke and
decrease this risk if you raise the grill a little higher from the heat and
choose leaner meats and trim all visible fat so it can’t drip and cause
smoking. Placing food in a foil packet also prevents smoking.
The rest of your meal can reduce the risks of grilling as
well. Antioxidant vitamins and phytochemicals in fruits, vegetables and soy
foods seem to block some of the damage HCAs do to cells. Studies from Oregon
State University demonstrate that substances in tea increase the body’s ability
to detoxify and excrete HCA before they do their damage.
Look at the overall balance of your meal. AICR recommends
that at any meal, animal protein like meat, poultry and seafood should occupy
no more than a third of your plate. And that’s especially true when it’s
grilled. By limiting your meat portion, you limit your exposure to HCAs and
other carcinogens. And by enjoying a healthy portion of fruits, vegetables and
whole grains, you get loads of cancer-fighting, health-promoting nutrients and
phytochemicals. If you want to grill some of these veggies, that’s no problem,
since the HCA reaction occurs only in foods with animal protein.
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