HOUSTON, Jul 3, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- A U.S. dietitian says marinating meat
before grilling helps draw out the chemical precursors of carcinogens.
Dietitian Vicki Piper of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in
Houston explains where there is smoke there is a risk of cancer. Burning meat,
she says, can create carcinogens -- agents that may cause cancer.
"Grilling any type of meat -- even chicken or fish -- until it's charred or
burned can increase the chances of getting cancer, according to the American
Institute for Cancer Research," Piper says in a statement.
However, lowering fat is good for many reasons, including that less fat means
fewer flare-ups. Pre-cooking meat indoors for a few minutes before bringing it
out to the grill helps too because the higher the cooking temperatures, the more
carcinogens develop.
Using barbecue briquettes and hardwood products, such as hickory and maple --
that burn at lower temperatures -- is preferable to using softwood like pine
chips, Piper advises.
Keeping the grill lightly oiled, Piper suggests, helps keep charred material
sticking on the grill from getting on the food. The oil also helps keep fish and
chicken in one piece.
Scrubbing the grill thoroughly after every use avoids a buildup of carcinogens
that can be transferred to food, Piper says.
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