What is more synonymous with summer than BBQ?! Although delish, char-broiling and gas grilling causes documented health risks, primarily due to the formation of carcinogens known as heterocyclic amines, or HCA’s for short. So what can you do about this when clearly, summer and BBQ go together like beer and hockey?! Check out the tips below for how to BBQ with your health in mind.
Healthy BBQ Tips for Summer Eats
- Grill on an area without a direct flame. Temperatures above or below the flame can reach as high as 500 – 1000 degrees F (260 – 538 degrees C), and HCA formation increases at temperatures greater than 325 degrees F. Over 400 degrees F, HCA formation can increase by 700%-1000%.
- Be careful not to overcook or burn your food. The longer a food is exposed to high heat, the greater the HCA formation. For example, grilling a burger for 10 minutes versus 6 may result in an increase of HCA levels greater than 25%.
- Marinate meats in a mixture of antioxidant rich ingredients such as lemon, onions, rosemary, black pepper… This counteracts free radical formation thus protecting your health.
- If using oil when grilling, choose one with a high smoke point. This will lessen the amount of oxidative damage to the oils themselves. Avocado oil, coconut oil or such as high-oleic safflower oil are great choices. .
- Grill with the skins on (chicken and seafood) ~ this not only keeps the moisture in, it protects the meat underneath. Of course, you need to discard the crunchy goodness rather than eat it!
- Add a fresh fruit salsa to grilled meats. This combo brings a taste of the tropics while providing ample anti-oxidants to counter the free radicals formed by grilling.
To learn more about free radicals, oxidative damage and what you can do about it to protect your health, come on in to the clinic!
Healthy BBQ Summer Salsa
- 1 whole mango chopped
- 2-3 rings pineapple chopped
- 1/2 spanish red onion finely chopped
- 1/2 red and 1/2 orange pepper coarsely chopped
- handful of cherry tomatoes quartered
- small bunch of cilantro finely chopped
- small, firm avocado cubed into small pieces
- juice of 2 limes and a splash of pineapple juice
- dash of herbamare
- pinch of chipotle chile powder
- fresh cracked pepper to taste
Mix all together and voila! You have an antioxidant rich, zesty and delicious summer salsa to ‘healthy-up’ your bbq’d treats!
References:
- Mateljan, G. 2007. The World’s Healthiest Foods. George Mateljan Foundation: USA.
- Smith, M. 2008. Alive: Canada’s Health & Wellness Magazine, 308: 154-8.
- Kabir, E., Kim, K., Ahn, J., Hong, O. & J. Sohn. 2009. Barbecue charcoal combustion as a potential source of aromatic volatile organic compounds and carbonyls. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 174: 492-9.
