Posted 5 years ago
5 Ways to Keep Grilling Healthy
Grilling can be a part of a healthy diet, or it can also work against you. Here are 5 ways to keep grilling healthy.
Instructions:
-Marinate meat or poultry before grilling this adds flavor and reduces the formation of potentially cancer-causing compounds known as HCAs (heterocyclic amines) by 57 to over 90%.
-Reduce your grill temperature from high to medium or medium-high. Doing this only adds just 2 minutes to the cooking time and reduce HCA formation significantly.
-Cut the smoke, which is a source of cancer linked PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) compounds. Lean protein sources make fewer drippings that can produce smoke. You can also move foods slightly off-center or where the smoke rises.
-Eat smaller portions of the grilled foods. A smaller portion means less of any harmful compounds that form and leaves more room for other foods.
-Grill poultry or seafood rather than processed meats (hot dogs, sausage). Boost vegetables by including them in kabobs, a side dish, in salads or grilled.
-Try grilled fruit. Including fruit in meals helps to balance your intake of calories and nutrients. Serve as a side or on its own, in fruit or green salads or as a dessert. Slightly under-ripe fruit grills the best.
Fruits and Vegetables Are Made for Grilling
Many fruits and vegetables are deliciously grilled, and there are no HCAs formed when grilling plant-based foods.
Larger pieces can be placed right on the grill. Keep smaller pieces from falling through by using a grill basket or putting them on a skewer. Avoid sticking by brushing or spraying grill or fruits/vegetables with a little oil. Turn or flip halfway through cooking.
Marinade Recipe
¼ cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (or orange juice)
¼ cup oil (I use olive or safflower)
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp dried rosemary or oregano
Makes 1 cup marinade which is plenty for 1 lb of meat, poultry or seafood.