This time of year there is something
absolutely yummy about food fresh off the grill – the aroma – the taste.
It makes my mouth water. Whether your preference is grilled meats,
grilled veggies, or grilled fruit, food just tastes better when it’s prepared
on the grill. Plus, who wants to be stuck inside cooking while everyone
else is outside enjoying the summer?
But is grilling as healthy - or
healthier - than other cooking methods?
In some respects, grilling is
definitely healthier. Since you don’t need to add any oil or fats when cooking
on the grill, you avoid soaking up fat into the foods. Plus fat drips off
grilled meat, rather than going back into it. Also, valuable nutrients
are retained in grilled food that would be lost in the water if boiled.
Finally, grilling adds flavor to food without adding fat or salt or any
unhealthy additives.
However, there is one thing you do
need to be aware of – research has shown that cooking meats at very high
temperatures can cause a higher risk for cancer. According to an article by
Rebecca Viksnins Snowden on the American Cancer Society’s website, “…cooking
meats at very high temperatures creates chemicals (heterocyclic amines, or HAs)
that might increase cancer risk. Heterocyclic amines (HAs) are created by the
burning of amino acids and other substances in meats cooked at particularly
high temperatures and that are particularly well-done.” Snowden
continues, “HAs turn up in grilled and barbecued meat as well as broiled and
pan-fried meat.”
So if you want to take advantage of
the health benefits and avoid the potential health risk of grilling, you can
either grill your food at a lower temperature or grill just fruits and
vegetables, which don’t create the harmful chemicals meat does. If you
can’t resist a grilled steak, here are some tips from Snowden to keep it
healthier:
·
Choose lean cuts of meat and trim
any excess fat. Fat dripping onto hot coals causes smoke that contains
potential carcinogens. Less fat means less smoke.
·
Line the grill with foil and poke
small holes in it so the fat can still drip off, but the amount of smoke coming
back onto the meat is lower.
·
Avoid charring meat or eating parts
that are especially burned and black – they have the highest concentrations of
HAs.
Grilling, like any cooking method,
is only as healthy as the food you begin with, so choose wisely. And if
you add unhealthy marinades or condiments, you counter-act the benefits of
grilling. With a little thought, you and your family can enjoy healthy
and tasty meals fresh off the grill.
A Recipe for the Grill
Lemon, Rosemary & Balsamic Chicken
Thighs
Yield 2- 4 servings
8 chicken thighs
1 Tbsp
Wildtree Lemon Rosemary Blend or Lemon Pepper
¼ cup
Wildtree Roasted Garlic Grapeseed oil
½ tsp
Wildtree RancherSteak Rub
2 Tbsp
lemon zest
½ Tbsp
crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2 Tbsp
balsamic vinegar
Remove excessive fat
from chicken and wash with salt water then drain.
Combine all
ingredients in plastic bag and marinate for 1 – 2 hours.
Grilling
Instructions
Preheat grill to
medium. Cook chicken on the skin side for 10 to 12 minutes and then
turn over and cook for the same amount of time - cooked through (internal temp
at 160 degrees). If there are flare-ups, move the chicken out of the way so there
is no sooty film on the chicken. Baste any leftover lemon balsamic mix
once the chicken has turned over. The chicken is done when the
juices run clear when the pricked at the thickest part of the thigh.
Wildtree products are All natural,
preservative free, no dyes and low in sodium and sugar.
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