Detox Your BBQ Cooking

The BBQ season is in full swing, so we thought it was time to give you a quick cheat sheet on how and why to marinate your meat, poultry and fish.

The World health Organisation (WHO) and The National Cancer Institute have advised that cooking meat in a frypan or in direct contact with flames creates HCA’s (heterocyclic amines).  HCA’s form as a result of the amino acids, sugars and creatine reacting at high temperatures. PAH’s (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) also form when the juice and fat from the meats drop onto open flames and form smoke. Both these chemicals are deemed carcinogenic to humans.

By adding an acidic marinade to your BBQ meat, you are helping to stop the formation of these dangerous chemicals. The marinade also helps to tenderise the meat and retain moisture, therefore stopping it from drying out and burning. Follow this general formula for marinades: mix together an acid (to tenderise the meat) + an oil or liquid (to moisten) + assorted seasoning (herbs, spices).

Nutritional medicine practitioner, Fiona Tuck, also recommends to avoid anything with bread crumbs (such as a schnitzel) or sausages with preservatives. She states that these starchy and processed meats more likely to form AGE’s (advanced glycation end products). AGE’s cause inflammation in the body and oxidant stress. Therefore, if you love your sausages, it pays to buy all natural and preservative free ones. It is also important to avoid burning your sausages. You just want them lightly browned.

The Cancer Council of Victoria have also released a statement about WHO’s report linking processed and red meats to an increased cancer risk. They do recommend balancing your diet with plant based proteins and avoid burning your meat. Chair of Cancer Council Australia’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Committee, Kathy Chapman, said red and processed meats were associated with around one in six bowel cancers diagnosed in Australia.

GRW Top 5 Tips for a Healthy BBQ

1. Use an acidic marinade for your meats (lemon, vinegar, wine, fruit juice, ginger)
2. Wrap your fish or chicken on the BBQ in foil or baking paper
3. Make salads and veggies the main event of your BBQ
4. Avoid processed sausages & crumbed meat
5. Lightly brown your meat instead of charring it!

Sources: WHO; The National Cancer Institute; Cancer Council Victoria; Nourish

Image Credit: Reckless Reviews