It's time for barbecue in the backyard this holiday weekend. As you prepare to cook, remember that luscious, marbled, smoky, grilled meats can contribute to cancer risk.
Why is everything good bad for us?
Here's why:
Cooking meat at high temperatures, especially over an open flame, produces carcinogens called HCAs on the meat surface, according to the National Institutes of Health. HCAs stands for "heterocyclic amines." They form when the amino acids of the protein and the creatine in muscle react at high temperatures.
Add to that PAHs --- polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons --- formed during the barbecuing of "muscle meats" such as beef, pork, poultry and fish. PAHs form when fat drippings contact fire, producing smoke. The smoke and flames that rise up onto the food leave behind PAH carcinogens.
A steady diet of charbroiled meats can lead to increased risk for stomach, colon and rectal cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.
As a rule, it's best to use lower heat for cooking, like baking, poaching, stewing, roasting and microwaving, said DeKalb Medical registered dietitian Alice Schuler.
No one wants to hear that on Memorial Day weekend. So here are a few of Schuler's tips to fire up the grill and still cut down on the health risk.
> Marinate meat in an oil-free sauce that has a strong acidic content such as lemon juice or balsamic vinegar. Research has demonstrated that as much as 90 percent of the HCAs are prevented from forming when meat is marinated for at least 10 minutes.
> Pre-cook meats. Cook the meat in the oven or microwave until almost done, then finish cooking on the grill for the last 10 minutes to get the grilling flavor you want.
> Do not squirt starter fluid into the coals while meats are cooking.
> Choose lean meats when grilling. Trim away any visible fat or skin.
> Keep meat juices from dripping into the fire any way you can, such as using aluminum foil.
> Cut away and discard any burned or charred parts of the meat before eating.
> Grill vegetables, quesadillas, veggie burgers or fruit kebobs instead of meat.
Copyright 2008 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution