Healthier BBQ Tips

LIFESTYLE UPGRADES: BBQ

We all love summer BBQ’s, but how do we do it more safely and make sure it’s healthy for us?

Did you know that barbecuing meat causes various toxic chemicals, which are detrimental to your health? This can cause more inflammation, increase the aging process, and even lead to heart disease.

These include:

•         Carcinogens (HCA’s) from charred meat – may increase risk of cancer, especially colorectal, pancreatic, and prostate
•         PAH’s – toxic chemicals from barbecue smoke – can damage lungs from smoke created by fat drippings hitting coals
•         AGEs – Inflammatory by-products, which accumulate in the body’s organs, from food cooked at high temperatures – harmful to cells and causes cellular stress & aging

Not good, right? So how do we make the BBQ season more healthy for us?

Tips to reduce health risks from BBQing:

1.      Use thick marinades & herb rubs (eg: rosemary, thyme, pepper)

•         Coats meat – reduces carcinogens by up to 96%
•         Reduces fat dripping & resulting smoke –  reduces all 3 toxins: HCA’s, PAH’s & AGEs

•         Use avocado oil to marinate meat, as opposed to olive oil. Avocado oil has higher smoke point (up to 500F).  Toxic smoke, trans fats, and free radicals result when oil is heated above its smoke point, which can contribute to disease.

•         Bonus: Marinades & herbs make food more flavourful!

2.      Pre-cook meat half-way over low heat on stove or in oven before putting on BBQ

•         Removes some fat to reduce drippings and resulting smoke
•         Reduces time meat is exposed to toxins on BBQ
•         Bonus: Cooking time on BBQ much faster

3.      Reduce fat drippings

•         Prevents fat drippings from producing toxic smoke, which goes into food & your lungs
•         Use two protective layers between grill and meat:

i.      Aluminum foil resting on grill

ii.     Unbleached parchment paper on top of aluminum foil, where meat is placed

•         Choose lean cuts of meat when grocery shopping
•         Trim excess fat from meat before cooking
•         Bonus: Using the double layer (tin foil and unbleached parchment paper) keeps food more moist

4.   BBQ Vegetables

•         Even when charred on BBQ, vegetables do not contain HCA carcinogens
•         Vegetables contain many nutrients and cancer-fighting  components, which meat is lacking

i.      Try vegetable kabobs (peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, onions, yellow squash, cherry tomatoes, etc.

There you have it! Pretty simple to keep your BBQ season safe and delicious:)

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