Grilling never gets old, especially during the warm summer evenings spent with friends and family.
Of course, the first step to healthy grilling is choosing healthy foods to put on the grill! Typically, the go-to foods for grilling are processed meats or red meats. high in sodium and saturated fat or meats prepared with processed and ready-made sauces or rubs. Aside from the fact that these meats are high in sodium, nitrates, nitrites, or saturated fat, they also can ne dangerous because of carcinogenic compounds they create when exposed to high heat cooking methods (as we will see in Part 2).
What are some healthier choices to use on the grill?
Healthy Proteins
Consuming too much processed meat or fatty cuts of red meat, especially when well done on the grill, has been shown to increase risk of colorectal cancer. 1
Processed meats (hot dogs, brats) are higher in sodium, nitrates and nitrites, saturated fats, and are more likely to create carcinogenic compounds when exposed to high heat cooking methods (more on this in part 2).
The American Institute of Cancer Research recommends limiting consumption of beef, pork, or lamb to 18 ounces max each week. The AICR also recommends completely avoiding processed versions of such meat.
Instead, choose lean cuts of meat and poultry (flank steak, skinless chicken or turkey filets, ground turkey or chicken, pork chops, and pork tenderloin). Try to keep portion sizes between 4 to 6 ounces.
Also, don't shy away from grilling omega-3-rich fish sources, too. You can even grill plant-based proteins such as extra-firm tofu.
Use More Veggies
When it comes to grilling season, meats are usually in the spotlight. Vegetables, such as carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplants, onions, corn, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, asparagus, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and bell peppers are perfect candidates for the grill, though.
Compared with meats, there is less risk of carcinogenic compounds forming when grilling vegetables and fruits. Vegetables do not contain a lot of protein and it is the protein in meat that interacts with high heat to produce carcinogenic compounds.
Also, these foods can actually be protective against carnicogenic compounds or other harmful compounds because they are rich in antioxidants.
When Flame Meets Fruit
Cap off your meal (or complement it) with grilled fruit for a healthy, sweet finish! The natural sugars in fruit caramelize, more juices are released making the fruit that much more juicy, and the fruit's flavor intensifies.
Choose fruits that are rather firm. Fruit that is overripe might lose too much of its structure from the heat and get mushy. Although any seasonal fruit should do, popular choices include peaches, pears, bananas, melons, pineapple, apples or strawberries.
Grilled fruit can work as a dessert (such as fruit kebobs or combined with an ice cream or frozen yogurt). However, they can also be used to complement savory dishes, such as using grilled peaches with chicken or pork chops, or grilled watermelon in a salad.
References
1. Cancer Res. 1999 Sep 1;59(17):4320-4.