GRILLING SEASON

Memorial day weekend is over and summer is officially here, which means it's "grilling season". I'm persoanlly a huge fan of grilling, I love to be outdoors grilling some grass fed beef or organic BBQ chicken with my family. But have you ever heard that grilling your meats can cause cancer? Maybe you have, maybe you haven't but it is pretty common knowledge that grilling meats realeases carcinogens. And carcinogens are what causes cancer. But before you go run and throw your grill away, let me give you some safe tips for grilling carcinogen free. On a side note, you should be throwing your microwave away but that's a whole different topic!

Heterocyclic amines, or HCA's, are carcinogenic compounds created when meat is grilled. HCA's have been shown to increase the risk of breast, stomach, lung, prostate, and pancreatic cancers. But the solution to reducing these cancer causing compounds is all in the marinade. The American Institute for Cancer Research found that marinating meat can lower HCAs by as much as 99 percent. A Kansas State University study found that marinating steaks lowered HCAs by 87 percent. Specifically Rosemary marinades are particularly protective. Food Safety Consortium tests found gingerroot, rosemary, and tumeric, all high in antioxidants, curb HCAs in cooked meat, even when cooking is at high temperatures. (Rosemary is most protective and has many other health benefits too!) Using avocado oil can help, as well. It is rich in cholesterol-lowering monounsaturated fatty acids, and has a high smoke point which reduces harmful oil oxidation. This is why you do not want to cook to high temperatures with olive oil, which at normal temperature is healthy. 

So before you scrap the charcoal, just switch up the marinade!