8 easy ways to make over your barbecue
Boost the healthfulness of your cookout without sacrificing flavor.
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Sweet corn on the cob, tomatoes from the garden, steak sizzling on the grill—could there be a more perfect cookout? Yes, but only if you know the healthiest ways to indulge your taste for barbecue.
You may have heard about the suspected links between grilled meat and cancer. In fact, grilling meat, chicken, and fish—especially if it’s charred—produces suspected cancer-causing chemicals known as heterocyclic amines (HCAs). Animal fat dripping onto hot coals creates another worry: potential cancer-promoting chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
Though it sounds scary, you don’t have to go completely flame-free. The good news is that there are ways to minimize the health hazards linked to grilling and still enjoy your barbecue. Try these tips to make healthful substitutions.
Sources: NIH National Cancer Institute. Chemicals in Meat Cooked at High Temperatures and Cancer Risk. Reviewed July 11 + 8
- NIH National Cancer Institute. Chemicals in Meat Cooked at High Temperatures and Cancer Risk. Reviewed July 11, 2017.
- Melo A, Viegas O, Petisca C, Pinho O, Ferreira IM. Effect of beer/red wine marinades on the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines in pan-fried beef. J Agric Food Chem. 2008;56(22):10625-10632.
- Persson E, Graziani G, Ferracane R, Fogliano V, Skog K. Influence of antioxidants in virgin olive oil on the formation of heterocyclic amines in fried beefburgers. Food Chem Toxicol. 2003;41(11):1587-1597.
- Persson E, Sjöholm I, Nyman M, Skog K. Addition of various carbohydrates to beef burgers affects the formation of heterocyclic amines during frying. J Agric Food Chem. 2004;52(25):7561-7566.
- Puangsombat K, Smith JS. Inhibition of heterocyclic amine formation in beef patties by ethanolic extracts of rosemary. J Food Sci. 2010;75(2):T40-T47.
- Puangsombat K, Jirapakkul W, Smith JS. Inhibitory activity of Asian spices on heterocyclic amines formation in cooked beef patties. J Food Sci. 2011;76(8):T174-T180.
- Khan N, Mukhtar H. Tea and health: studies in humans. Curr Pharm Des. 2013;19(34):6141-6147.
- NIH National Cancer Institute. Tea and Cancer Prevention. Reviewed November 17, 2010.
- MD Anderson Cancer Center. Tea and cancer prevention 101. April 01, 2021.
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