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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Memorial Day is here with many of us firing up the grills. Grilling is popular because it’s easy, tastes good (I can almost smell it as I write) and fun to do (we women get to watch men do the cooking!). Now that we’ve briefly discussed the Mediterranean Diet, which is high in plant based foods and lower in meat than our American Diet, this may be the perfect time for a reminder to make a smart grill! The great news is that grilling is generally a lower fat cooking method than other methods such as sautéing and frying; great news for all of us. The bad news is that without a few precautions, grilling presents a potential long- term health hazard along with the short -term hazard of inhaling smoke. So, let’s choose the grill as a low fat cooking method, but let’s do it smartly for our health.
Okay, let’s discuss how to grill our food as safely as possible because unfortunately, grilling meat particularly red meat carries with it a risk factor for cancer. Research points to a higher incidence of colon and prostate cancers in particular. In fact, a report on grilling from the AICR states, “diets high in red meat (beef, pork and lamb) and especially processed meats (such as hot dogs) are now a convincing cause of colorectal cancer”. When we cook meat at high temperatures, it creates compounds called ” Hetercyclic amines” (HCAs) and “Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons”(PAHs) . These compounds are powerful cancer-causing agents in animals, and research indicates that they are carcinogenic to us humans as well. They are formed when fat from the meat drips down on to the hot coals or any hot grill heating element, causing smoke to rise back on the food. These cancer causing compounds also form directly on the food when we char meat (it’s tasty, so sorry for the bad news!).
“A diet high in grilled and barbequed meat cooked over an open flame or even pan fried may possibly increase our risk of stomach, colon and rectal cancers according to the “American Institute for Cancer Research”(a direct quote). So what can we do to have our grill and tasty food too? Personally, I have chosen to eliminate meat from my diet (I am an animal advocate, yes, but I did so over time for many health and waistline reasons too!).
Grill Smart! Let’s
Grill using a pan. This is safer than cooking any meat directly over an open flame.
Not over-grill meats. Let’s avoid grill flare ups and eating overly -charred meats (I know this is the best part, but it’s our health!).
Reduce the number of times per week we eat grilled meat. Grill almost every night in the summer? Let’s try skipping a night or two.
Marinate! Research shows that marinating our meats before grilling reduces the formation of HCA’s when we use an oil free marinate (less calories, so we kill two birds at one time!). Let’s add some herbs with antioxidant properties to the marinate to help protect against these cancer compounds. Based upon initial research a few potent helpful herbs, oregano, rosemary, garlic, and mustard seeds (please note dried herbs are not regulated for potency and fresh herbs are what I recommend) have been shown to reduce these toxic compounds that are formed.
Cut visible fat off meat. This will reduce those dangerous- to -our health flare-ups, which create the compounds.
Eat more grilled veggies! Yes, “Go Mediterranean” by grilling veggies, because these dangerous compounds do not form when we grill vegetables or fruits. Veggies also have those wonderful cancer fighting phytochemicals protective to our health. We can bulk up our pasta dishes with grilled veggies including lightly grilled tomatoes!
Eat more grilled fish than grilled red meat, and chicken, which results in less HCA’s formed.
So, let’s enjoy this low fat method of cooking, but let’s just make it “The Smart Grill”. And let’s not forget, that just because we can’t see these compounds, or because we don’t have an immediate reaction to them, that they aren’t dangerous to our health.
Follow me Junefit every Sunday on Twitter for a new tool taken my book. AND my screensaver program “Focus on the Tools” is now available for PC users. It features rotating flashing tools from my program with beautifully photographed healthy salads in the background. There’s even a calendar that shows the month and date! Reinforce healthy eating habits and stay motivated to change while at your computer. Click here for more info http://www.junefit.com/serviceshp.htm
Here’s to A Smart Grill!
June M. Lay M.S.
JuneFit
Source for more info: American Institute for Cancer Research.
Check out this week’s “Go Mediterranean” Grilled Veggie recipe for at http://www.junefit.com/tips_recipehp.htm and for info on my olive oil choice posted this Friday.
Junefit is included in Google’s top ranked women’s health resources http://directory.google.com/Top/Health/Women’s_Health/Resources/
June is Lifestyle Columnist at www.healthnewsdigest.com/
Source for herbs include: Mosby’s Handbook of Herbs & Natural Supplements, and Anti-proliferative and antioxidant properties of rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis in Oncol Rep. 2007 Jun;17(6):1525-31
copyright 2011, junefit. All rights reserved.
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