Barbeque precautions

By Dr Jonny Bowden

During grilling at high temperatures (or frying for that matter), compounds known as HCAs- heterocyclic amines- are formed, and most researchers believe that these are human carcinogens. Some research shows that eating more heterocyclic amines increase the risk for colorectal, stomach, lung, pancreatic, breast and prostate cancer. The better done and more "burned to a crisp" the food is- and unfortunately this includes "blackened" varieties of fish- the worse it is from a heterocyclic amine point of view.

So besides grilling at lower temperatures, cooking slower and avoiding the splash back of fat onto the meat or fish and the formation of "blackened" crusts, what can we do?

Actually, quite a lot.

Researchers at Kansas State University and the Food Science Institute now believe that marinades may hold the key to healthier grilling.

These scientists marinated steaks for an hour in ordinary store-bought marinades. They coated the meat on all sides and turned it a few times before grilling at 400 degrees for five minutes per side. They then compared similar steaks that had been made without marinade.

The steaks made with marinade had between 57% and 88% less carcinogenic compounds (some marinades, like the "Caribbean" one, performed better than others, but all reduced HCAs by at least half!)

The common ingredients in all marinades were spices and herbs with high antioxidant properties. The best performing marinade was made with thyme, allspice, rosemary, chives, red and black pepper.

So if you're grilling this summer, consider using a marinade, be generous with the spices, and cook slowly at lower temperatures.

And consider washing it down with some red wine or other high antioxidant food or beverage (Pomegranate juice, red grapes, green vegetables).