Barbecues are one of the perks of summer, but grilling meat can generate carcinogens. Fortunately, the right kinds of marinades can counteract this harmful process.
When any type of muscle meat, including fish, is cooked at a grill's high temperature, ingredients in the meat (amino acids and creatine) produce cancer-causing heterocyclic amines (HCAs). Organ meats don’t generate the same reaction.
One way to eliminate almost all HCAs is to microwave meat before grilling it. According to the National Cancer Institute, microwaving for 2 minutes and pouring off any liquid before grilling eliminates 90-percent of HCAs. But you have to ask yourself: Do you want a real barbecue?
HCA-Fighting Ingredients
Various studies have tested the power of marinades with specific ingredients to reduce the formation of HCAs in grilled meat. These are some of the highlights:
Garlic and onion are especially effective. Lemon juice is also helpful but not to the same extent. In a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, German researchers identified the most effective ratio of these in a marinade, in very precise terms: 31.2-percent onion, 28.6-percent garlic and 14.6-percent lemon juice. While that may be far too detailed for the back yard, it gets the idea across.
A mixture of brown sugar, olive oil, cider vinegar, garlic, mustard, lemon juice, and salt decreased levels of some carcinogens by up to 99 percent, for up to 30 minutes of grilling chicken breasts. Longer cooking times, and marinating in sugar alone, increased carcinogens.
Teriyaki sauce and a turmeric-garlic sauce worked well. However, compared to bare, unmarinated meat, regular barbecue sauce doubled or tripled levels of some carcinogens.
In tests of three packaged marinades that all reduced carcinogens, a Caribbean spice mix worked best, a Southwestern one was next best and an herb mix came in third. The based for the spices alone, an oil, water, and vinegar mixture, also reduced carcinogens but to a lesser degree.
Marinade ingredients that are higher in antioxidants provide more protection. Topping the list are fresh herbs: oregano, rosemary, thyme, and dill (tasty with fish), and dried versions of these are next best. Among spices, the best ones include paprika, garlic powder (although fresh garlic is better), curry, chili, and black pepper.
Choosing Marinades
Many marinades are designed for specific meats or fish. Identify those that match your menu and will appeal to your taste buds. Then, look for ingredients that are high in antioxidants or have been found to be effective in the tests described above.
There is another option: Make your own. For example, try mixing olive oil with fresh oregano, rosemary, and garlic and marinate your meat overnight. Don’t worry about exact quantities of ingredients. If it smells great, it shouldn’t disappoint. Most of all, don’t be afraid to experiment.
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