Friday, August 29, 2008

Healthy Barbequing

The National Cancer Institute found that ingesting heterocyclic amines (HCA's) which form in the blackened crust when meat is cooked at very high temperatures, increases your risk of developing colorectal, pancreatic, and breast cancers. To eliminate HCA's here are some helpful tips.
1. Don't char your meat. Cook until medium
2. Microwave first. Microwaving chicken or ground meat for 1 1/2-2 minutes can eliminate 90 percent of the HCA's.
3. Marinate. Marinating in a mixture of ginger, garlic, mustard, lemon juice and salt can cut your HCA's. Time does not matter as long as the meat is coated in marinade before grilling.
4. Try baking, roasting or stir frying
5. Grill seafood. It has fewer HCA's than red meat or poultry
6. Flip frequently to avoid charring.

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