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Not all that long ago, my brother and I were barbecuing together. His son was helping out with the little fiesta and I remember him specifically telling his son to make sure that the meat didn't char. He said it would cause cancer if it charred. While I naturally believed this, because, after all, eating char just doesn't seem safe to me, I still wasn't dead-set on believing that there was a whole lot of merit to his claim.
As it turns out though, eating charred, well-done meat isn't safe. According to a recent article published in Yahoo! News, those who regularly eat steak that has been very well-done are 60% more likely to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer than those who eat steak less well-done. Research done by the University of Minnesota showed that when meat is cooked very well, or even just well, by means of frying, grilling, or barbecuing, it forms heterocyclic amines. The charred portions of well-done meat have the highest concentration of HAs and those portions should not be consumed.
Although it's hard for researchers to say right now, it does seem as though avoiding meat all together or just turning down the heat on the meat could greatly impact the health of consumers.
What should you do?
Take this as a cue to just eat less meat. Eating just a slightly smaller amount of meat every week can do wonders for our environment and plus, not having to worry about charring well-done meat just may reduce your chances of getting pancreatic cancer. When it's time to grill—grill vegetarian foods! Pineapples, portobellos, stuffed tomatoes, potatoes, and corn on the cob are just a few of my favorite vegetarian foods to grill. If you're grilling meat and a piece of it chars, remove that charred piece of the meat before eating. You should also take note of the fact that fat dripping onto hot coals releases smoke that contains potential carcinogens. You can reduce your chances of consuming these carcinogens by choosing leaner cuts of meat and trimming the excess fat on the meat before cooking. You can also line your grill with foil and poke holes through the foil. This will allow for your fat to drip off while still limiting the amount of smoke that can come back up from the coals.
More on green eating habits:
Stop Eating Bluefin Tuna (At Least For A While)
Choose A Crop That Practically Grows Itself: Tasty Purple Cabbage
Are Pregnant Women Eating Enough Fish?
Going Vegan? Keep These 5 Protein Rich Foods In The Kitchen
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