Almost every single person will be cheered up and licking his or her lips to the very thought of enjoying the barbecue with the loved ones over the weekend. Warm days, a multitude of sunshine, nature, and barbecue are a formula for resting the soul and satisfying the palate.
The numerous health advantages of barbecue: from the preparation itself, because the additional quantities of oil are not being added as when deep frying or frying, to the fact that the barbecuing goes hand in hand with spending time in nature. On the other hand, our tables are mostly filled with foods rich in fats and salt, which does not do our cardiovascular system or figure any good.
The good news is that, with a little bit of caution, it is possible to simultaneously enjoy our meal while significantly decreasing the health risks. For this reason, always choose the slim meat with as less fat as possible. Avoid the insides because they are rich in cholesterol. Likewise, cured meat products like bacon and sausages should be consumed only occasionally. Spice your food with herbal spices instead of salt. Bake the chicken with skin, but remove the skin before eating. Also, remove all visible fats from the meat while eating.
Barbecue that is safe for your health
In order to be sure that your food isn’t just delicious, but also safe for consummation, it is desirable to stick to a few simple guidelines:
- keep the foods refrigerated and away from the Sun until the very preparation
- meat should be tightly sealed and kept away from other foods so that the juices don’t get mixed
- check if the barbecue is working properly
- wash your hands
- during the grilling, spread the marinade only across the surface that is being grilled in order not to contaminate it with the fresh meat bacteria
- always use fresh marinades and food
- keep the grilled meat away from the Sun.
Is barbecue cancerous?
The high temperatures that are present during the grilling or the frying of the meat and fish on the open fire lead to the creation of potentially cancerous compounds or so-called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or PAH compounds on the food’s surface. The burning of fuel (coal) used for grilling also contributes to the creation of the PAH compounds. However, the most important is the appearance of these compounds when the melted oil from the food drips into the heat source, creating a number of compounds that is sufficient to accumulate significantly on the surface of the meat and fish.
And that’s not all. The high temperatures of the open barbecue’s flame lead to the reaction between creatine and amino acids in the meat and fish, causing the creation of another group of cancerous compounds known as heterocyclic amines (HCA).
A good marinade is the first line of defense
The good news is that marinades can disable the creation of certain cancerous compounds in the meat that is being barbecued on coal. The newer research point out to a significant decrease of the HCA compounds in the meat that has been marinated for a while before barbecuing. The exact mechanism of the marinade’s miraculous effects is not clear as of yet, but many authors agree that the protective power lies in the certain powerful ingredients of marinade. For example, this is how it was proven that the marinades with rosemary and oregano contain antioxidants which prevent the creation of the potentially harmful substances in the meat during the high frying or baking temperatures.
Additional advice for a healthier barbecue
Although it is not possible to completely avoid the cancerous compounds, that is not the reason for you to forget about the barbecuing and the satisfaction it provides. Simply decrease the possibility of the food contamination with HCA and PAH compounds:
- by not using coal
- by avoiding the open flame
- by using meat and fish with less fat
- by grilling poultry with the skin
- by always marinating the meat
- by grilling on the lowest possible temperatures and for longer periods of time
- by turning the meat regularly so that the temperature inside of the food is lower
- by removing the eventual burnt parts
- by using the grill’s special constructions, which prevent the dripping of the fat into the heat source
- a few days before the barbecue, consume vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, or asparagus, because they contain the ingredients that activate the enzymes responsible for the detoxification of the dangerous compounds in our bodies.
Therefore, with caution and the application of the above mentioned guidelines, you can enjoy in a barbecue as early as the next weekend and without fearing for your health.