Love to grill, but want some healthy grilling tips? As the summer weather sizzles, so does the grill. The most popular time to grill out is in the summer months, but is your BBQ hurting you? It is well known that cooking at high temperatures and charring meats releases toxins and AGE's (advanced glycolated end products), which can damage the DNA of your cells and promote cancer growth. In fact, charbroiled burgers release more toxins than a heavy-duty diesel truck! Can you visualize sucking on a truck's tailpipe the next time you bite into that juicy burger?
Black Attack – Those black char marks on a steak look beautiful, but are signs that AGE's have produced in the meat. Avoid the char marks by flipping the meat frequently and cooking at a lower temperature. Also, keep that grill clean and remove any black residue left from your last grilling session.
Green & Lean – Meats with less fat will prevent flames from flaring and touching the meat, allowing it to easily burn. Smaller cuts of meat will allow for a quicker cooking time, which reduces the amount of exposure to carcinogens. Precooking the meat will also shorten cooking time. When your meat is cooked to perfection, pair it with a green veggie, which is loaded with antioxidants and glucosinolates, to help prevent the free radical damage in your cells.
Soak & Coat – Just marinating a piece of meat prior to cooking can reduce carcinogens by 88% and will keep the meat juicy and tender.
Try this delicious teriyaki marinade recipe made with Betsy's Best. It can also be used as a dressing to pair your greens with your protein to help increase those antioxidants to protect your body. Have fun this summer on the grill now you know how to keep it healthy!