Tips for Healthy Grilling and Avoiding HCA

When summer rolls around, we bust out the grills and spend endless hours on our decks and patios grilling. This should not only be an an enjoyable way to cook, but also a healthy way to eat. Along with grilling up healthy foods, There has recently been a lot of talk about grilling and cancer associated with grilling food. The risk is indeed real and you really need to keep this in mind, when you're manning the grill. There are, however, some simple things you can do to do reduce your risk of cancer.

HCAs are also known as Heterocyclic Amines and PAHs are also known as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons. These chemicals are formed by putting food, primarily meats, in contact with intense heat and flames. They are known cancer causing agents so it's wise to reduce your exposure to these as much as possible.

HCAs and PAHs have been shown to be mainly formed from fat being heated to extremely high temperatures or from the smoke created by fat burning. This mainly applies to meat fats found in the build up from the bottom of your grill. Here are a few tips to minimize the formation of HCA while grilling:

• Keep you grill clean
• Trim excess fats from foods
• Use marinades based on olive oils and/or citrus juices.
• Avoid flare-ups to decrease the chance of HCA formation.
• Don't overcook foods. The charred bits on foods are the largest sources of PAHs and HCAs.
• Basil, Mint, Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, and Sage-based marinates will add flavor and have been shown to reduce the risk of HCA formation.

By following these steps, you will greatly reduce the risk of these cancer agents along with reducing the amount of fat in the meat that you're cooking