Healthy Living

There is probably no better time of the year to barbecue than the summertime, but just because Labor Day is around the corner doesn’t mean it’s time to cover up the grill– especially with the unpredictable New England weather. Warm spells are common during the fall and not out of the question even in the winter.

My grill stays out throughout the fall to enjoy late harvest vegetables, including eggplant, butternut squash and leeks. As some of us are grilling up our favorite vegetables, most of us are probably cooking some animal sources for our plates as well.

Backyard cooks should be aware: Some research is suggesting that cooking muscle meats at very high temperatures creates a chemical that increases cancer risk. Heterocyclic amines (HAs) are formed when amino acids, building blocks or proteins, and creatine, found in muscles, react at high cooking temperatures. Muscle meats are defined as meat, pork, fowl and fish.

Four factors influence HAs formation: cooking method, time, temperature and type of food. Frying, barbecuing and broiling produce the largest amount of HAs. Oven roasting and baking are done at lower temperatures, so lower levels of HAs are formed, however gravy from drippings does contain substantial amounts.

Foods cooked for a long time, “well done” instead of “medium,” will also form slightly more of this harmful chemical. It is best to grill or broil on an area without a direct flame as the temperatures directly above the flame can reach as high as 500 -1000 ºF. At less than 325ºF, the formation of these compounds is very low.

More HA's form when a food is in very close proximity to a heat source. Flame grilling is perhaps the best example of a food coming into direct contact with a heat source. Less contact with the heating element lowers the formation.

On the other hand, in deep frying there is less HAs creation due to relatively low temperatures and indirect exposure to the source of heat (although deep fat frying involves its own set of health concerns).

Again the culprit is muscle meat: meat, pork fowl and fish. Tofu, other soy products and beans, such as in the form of burgers, are great alternatives.

If you want to try healthy barbecuing, you can do so by:
 Not eating any charred or blackened parts of grilled or char broiled foods.
 Keeping the portions small and lean (3 ounces on average = size of deck of cards).
 Trimming away all excess fat.
 Thinking of meat as the side dish.
 Pre-cooking the meat in the oven or on the stove ahead of time and finish it on the grill.
 Cooking meat thoroughly, but not so much that pieces are charred.
 Enjoying grilled meats with plenty of vegetables, fruits and grains.
 Making a meal out of grilled vegetables: grill your favorite vegetables; add pesto or an olive spread to make a great sandwich.

Happy grilling!

Sarah Hospod is a registered dietitian in the Food and Nutrition Department at The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich. This column should not replace advice or instruction from your personal physician. E-mail Hospod and all of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org or comment on the blog at backushospital.org.