Who doesn’t love food grilled outside on a barbecue? So tasty and delicious. But, have you ever heard that it’s bad to eat grilled food?
It turns out that cooking meats using high-heat cooking, including using an open flame, leads to the production of heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). They sound daunting, don’t they? These two chemicals are capable of damaging DNA in the body and population studies have found a link between barbecued meats and an increased risk of certain cancers.
Don’t panic just yet as I’m not telling you to stop eating barbecued meats – as with anything else, enjoy them in moderation. It is important to minimize your risk and reduce your intake of these chemicals by grilling smart.
Factors that contribute to the formation of HCAs and PAHs in cooked meats are:
- Meat type – muscle meats, not eggs or milk. Fatty meats produce higher PCAs
- Temperature – higher cooking temps = increased HCA formation
- Cooking method – frying, broiling, BBQing (high cooking temps)
- Cooking time – the longer the cooking time = increased HCA formation
Ways to reduce HCA and PAH formation:
- Reduce exposure to high heats by cooking meats first and finishing them off on the grill or turning meats often.
- Remove charring on meats when possible
- Remove skin from poultry
- Avoid cooking meats to “well done”
- Antioxidants and polyphenols interfere with the formation of HCAs and PAHs so using garlic, rosemary and lemon juice can help
- Fruits help keep meat moist and reduce HCA production so enjoy apples, cherries and plums
The secret to healthy grilling is moderation and making sure you mitigate your exposure to harmful chemicals. Just follow these recommendations to make sure you’re grilling right and enjoy those family cookouts!
Heather Snively, MS, RD, is a nutrition and wellness manager at Guckenheimer, an on-site corporate restaurant management and catering company. She received her Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Washington in 2011. Heather is passionate about helping others determine the best way to enjoy food and stay healthy. Her food philosophy is simple: moderation in all things, except for vegetables—eat all the vegetables you like.