Barbecuing in the backyard during the summer months is a celebrated tradition in millions of American households. Putting a few hamburgers, hot dogs or steaks on the grill is an easy way to throw together a tasty and fun meal, and also a great opportunity to socialize with family members and friends. Unfortunately, the typical barbecue foods are not the healthiest, especially when prepared improperly. Health experts have long warned that consuming grilled meats may be linked to an increased risk of cancer.
The reason is that when meat products are cooked over high temperatures or touched by flames and smoke, they form certain chemical compounds, specifically Heterocyclic Amines (HCA) and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH), which are deemed to be carcinogenic.
HCAs, also found in cigarette smoke, have been reported to cause cancer in a number of inner organs, including the stomach and liver, and also the skin. PAHs, the second type, form when meat juices drip onto coals or other hot surfaces, creating smoke. The carcinogens in the smoke then attach themselves to the outside of the foods they come in contact with.
The cancer risk from grilling is real, warns Karen Collins, a registered dietitian who serves as an nutrition advisor to the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR). But it changes dramatically with what you grill and how you do it, she says.
There are substances in the muscle proteins of animal food products whether its red meat, poultry or seafood that react under high heat to form these carcinogenic compounds that can damage the DNA of human genes, potentially leading to cancer development, she explains.
The most common risks in connection with HCAs are cancer of the colon and the stomach. According to Collins, studies have shown that consumption of barbecued red meat almost doubles the risk of growing colon polyps, which can lead to colon cancer. Since carcinogenic compounds travel through the bloodstream, tissues in other parts of the body can be affected as well.
Thankfully, such risks can be mitigated by employing better grilling techniques and perhaps by changing some ingredient choices.
Barbecuing, especially when using a charcoal grill, produces the highest amount of HCAs, according to researchers at the University of California, Davis, Cancer Center, who conducted studies on the subject. Using a gas grill instead, or pan-frying and broiling are somewhat safer but not by much. Baking, poaching, stir-frying and stewing, they say, are considerably less harmful.
Other preventive steps barbecue lovers can take are lowering the heat and making sure the meat does not get charred, or the charred parts get trimmed off. Some recommend zapping meat cuts in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds beforehand to shorten the time of exposure to open fire.
What kind of food you barbecue also makes a difference. A fat loss overview can help you build a clear summarize of what you demand to focus on to carry out your fat reducing goal if you're a novice; or serve as a reminder for the ones who are at an intermediate or more enhance phase of their weightloss plan. Promptly after are seven steps that can serve as tips for your special weight loss plan. The first thing that one must understand is that losing weight and losing fat is not exactly the same thing. Many weight loss plans have fooled people into considering that it is the same, but most diets and weight loss applications only work by resulting in a person's body to lose more muscle cells and water than actual body fat, more help please visit The Fat Loss Factor. By contrast to animal foods, plant foods dont develop HCAs when heated. Mixing both, for example in form of kabobs, can cut the risks substantially. Marinating before grilling is also believed to be helpful because it puts an extra layer of coating on the food that can prevent overcooking and charring.
Wrapping grill food in aluminum foil, on the other hand, is not recommended, since the exposure to metal under intense heat can produce its own set of health hazards.
The bottom line here seems that barbecuing can be a reasonably healthy cooking method if done right and enjoyed in moderation. And this can be said about almost anything we do with food.
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Timi Gustafson R.D. is a registered dietitian, newspaper columnist, blogger and author of the book The Healthy Diner How to Eat Right and Still Have Fun, which is available on her blog and at amazon.com. For more articles on nutrition, health and lifestyle, visit her blog, Food and Health with Timi Gustafson R.D. (www.timigustafson.com).
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