Impress Your Guests: 5 Simple Ways To Tastier Grilling

1 min

It’s delightful to grill outdoors when the weather is warm. Unfortunately, while providing a quality protein source grilling meats can lead to the production of carcinogenic (potentially cancer-causing) chemicals called heterocyclic amines (HAs) as well as unhealthy PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). The good news is it is simple to reduce HAs, making your BBQ healthier yet still as tasty for you, your family and your guests.

1. Limit the quantity of meat you grill and make grilled vegetables or wild Alaskan salmon the main course more often. Try the Grilled Salmon with Mustard Sauce recipe.
2. Pre-cook your foods in the oven or on the stovetop and finish them off outdoors – less grill time means fewer carcinogens.
3. If you do grill meat, cook it thoroughly while trying to avoid charring or blackening it (avoid eating any blackened parts). This often means using a lower temperature and a longer, slower cooking time. Invest in a meat thermometer to ensure proper cooking based on what is on the grill.
4. Marinate your meats. Marinade may help reduce HA formation, especially if it’s made with anti-inflammatory spices such as ginger, rosemary and turmeric. Try the marinade in this recipe.
5. Avoid charcoal lighter fluid or self-starting packages of briquettes in a charcoal grill – they will leave residues of toxic chemicals in your food. A healthy alternative is an inexpensive chimney lighter that uses a small amount of newspaper to ignite a mass of charcoal in a large metal cylinder. Gas grills are good alternatives to those that use charcoal.

Click through to see our Healthy Grilling Visual Guide!

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