The Benefits of Grilling: Tips & Recipes
Eight simple steps you can take to grill safely this summer, plus three delicious recipes
Nothing screams summer like firing up a couple of burgers on the barbecue.
And if that sounds good, it gets even better: Grilling out isn’t only fun, it’s good for you. Grilling offers a variety of health benefits:
- It can be a lower-fat cooking method—excess fat cooks off the meat and you don’t need to use butter or heavy sauces.
- Vegetables retain more vitamins and minerals, thanks to the shorter cooking time grilling requires.
- This also means that the food’s flavor is better retained, so you can use less calorie-packed condiments.
But I thought I heard somewhere that grilling foods leads to an increased risk of cancer. Is that true? Well, it depends. The cancer concern stems from research that has revealed that cooking meats at very high temperatures—such as in techniques like grilling, frying, or broiling—creates certain chemicals that, when ingested, may increase the risk of cancer. These chemicals are created when amino acids (the building blocks of protein) and creatine (a chemical found in muscle tissue) are burned, which changes their molecular nature to form cancer-causing compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs). A 2009 study from the University of Minnesota showed that participants who ate well-done meat on a regular basis were almost 60 percent more likely to develop pancreatic cancer as those who ate meat that was less well-done or those who didn’t eat meat at all. A separate study done by researchers at the National Institutes of Health found a moderately increased risk of colon cancer among individuals with the highest intake of HCAs from eating cooked red meat.
Another class of compounds, called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), arises from the smoke that is created when fat from meat drips onto hot coals. One such PAH, benzo[a]prene, was found in a study to increase the risk for colorectal adenomas, a type of colon polyp that can be a precursor to colon cancer, when daily intake was increased.
But that news doesn't have to cool your flames forever. With just a few simple tweaks to your technique, you can get the flavor and health benefits of barbecue with fewer of the risks:
- Choose veggies. Since HCAs and PAHs are both by-products of meat cooking, vegetables and plant-based proteins like tofu and tempeh don’t carry the same hazards. Not to mention, that unmistakable grill flavor can give vegetables an unexpected twist. Try barbecuing a vegetable your family isn’t fond of—you just might find a child who turns his nose up at steamed asparagus asking for seconds of the grilled spears.
- Marinate your meat. Letting your meat or fish sit in a spice-rich marinade before grilling it can cut down on HCA formation by more than 80 percent, according to one study from Kansas State University. Look for one that contains rosemary, which researchers have found to be especially protective.
- Trim the fat. Because HCA and PAH formation both result in part from the fat in meat, choose lower-fat cuts of beef like top sirloin steak and bottom round roast, and ground turkey or 90 percent lean ground beef for burgers. Also, trim any visible fat from meat before putting it on the grill to reduce the amount of toxins in your meal.
- Use smaller cuts. Think kebabs versus steak sirloin. Smaller cuts of meat take less time to cook, which means less exposure to high temperatures. And bite-sized portions of different meats and veggies can be a great way to bring variety to your grill.
- Line the grill with foil and poke small holes in it. This will let the fat drip off your meat, but keep smoke from coming back through, reducing PAH formation. (It also makes for an easier cleanup!)
- Keep the grill clean. If you don’t want to line your grill with foil, then make sure it stays clean. Those bits of fat and grime from the last time you grilled can add even more carcinogens to your food. When you’re done cooking (and the barbecue has cooled down), give your grates a scrub to eliminate any residue.
- Cook the meat thoroughly but avoid overcooking. Grill steaks, chicken and burgers until they are cooked through to eliminate disease-causing bacteria like E. coli. Use a meat thermometer to make sure you cook them thoroughly. (Find the safe cooking temperatures for different meats here.) However, there's no reason to burn your meats to a crisp—and doing so only creates more cancer-causing compounds. If you do overcook your meat in some spots, trim the charred edges.
- Be safe. Follow these key grilling safety guidelines:
- Keep your grill at a safe distance of three feet from everything—including walls, bushes, children and pets.
- If you use lighter fluid, use it only before the grill is lit.
- Properly clean, inspect and maintain your entire grill—including pipes, hoses, tanks and the grilling surface—before every use.
Ready to get grilling? Here are a few recipe ideas to keep your barbecue delicious and safe. Good eats!
Lightened Up Esquites
Grill four ears of corn. Remove kernels from cob and toss with a dollop of nonfat Greek yogurt, lime juice, minced garlic, fresh cilantro leaves and chili powder. Top with one avocado, chopped.
Charred Napa Cabbage Salad
Cut a Napa cabbage in half and brush with oil. Barbecue until grill marks form. Remove from grill, chop and toss with chopped scallions, toasted sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and slivered almonds.
Grilled Mango Dessert
Slice mango lengthwise, around large pit, for two large slices. Score flesh in a crosshatch pattern and grill, flesh side down, until grill marks form. Remove from grill and drizzle with fresh lime juice. Scoop mango pieces from skin with a spoon.
Rachel Meltzer Warren is a New York City-based nutrition writer, educator and counselor.
Reviewed by Shira Goldenholz, MD, MPH on May 14, 2014
Sources
https://www.botsford.org/blog/index.php/2012/06/25/4-health-benefits-of-grilling/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12615608
Sinha R, Kulldorf M, Gunter Mj, Et Al: Dietary Benzo[A]Pyrene Intake And Risk Of Colorectal Adenoma. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2005; 14:2030-2034.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19241593
Tsen SY, Ameri F, and Smith JS. Effects of Rosemary Extracts on the Reduction of Heterocyclic Amines in Beef Patties. Journal of Food Science. 2006 Oct; 71(8): C469-C473; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2006.00149.x/abstract
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21913920
https://foodsafety.ksu.edu/articles/533/grilling_factsheet.pdf
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/news/features/a-backyard-chefs-guide-to-healthy-grilling
https://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-consumers/causes/cooking/grilling/grilling-safety-tips
https://www6.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/frs-safe/resources/citizens/grill.asp