| Health Tip - Good Grilling |
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Dear Jorge,
Summer is here and there's no doubt you have smelled the grilling in the air. You can expect the 4th of July weekend, not to mention the rest of the summer, to be no different. With the enormous popularity of outdoor grilling, many people overlook the simple steps that you can take to ensure a healthy experience. |
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Grilling Done Right 
There has been a lot of talk about grilling and cancer, so let's address this first. While the risk is real, there are simple steps you can take to greatly reduce your risk. The two primary substances attributed to this are Heterocyclic Amines (HCA) and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) which are caused by putting meats in contact with intense heat and flame. Both HCAs & PAHs are carcinogens and are formed mostly from fat either being heated to extreme temperatures or by the smoke created by burning fat. However, don't let this keep you from grilling because there are other cooking methods that cause these agents, the key is that you follow some simple precautions. The number one way to stay safe is to marinate your food. You should try to use marinades based on olive oils and/or citrus juices. This alone reduces the potential for carcinogens by 90%. The next best thing you can do is to trim excess fats from foods. These fats are the source of the problem, so keep them in check. Do your best to avoid flare-ups and don't overcook food, charred bits on food are the largest source of PAHs and HCAs.
Other measure you can take to help keep you grilling right include:
- Using different platters and utensils for raw and cooked meats
- Marinating foods in the refrigerator, not countertops or outdoors, if some marinade is to be used as a sauce on the cooked food, reserve a spearate portion
- If you partially cook food in the microwave, oven, or stove to reduce grilling time, do so immediately before the food goes on the hot grill
- Cook you food thoroughly, use a good thermometer to ensure adequate internal temperature, here are some guidelines:
- Beef, veal, and lamb steaks or roasts - 145F for medium rare, 160F for medium, and 170F for well done
- Ground beef or ground pork - 160F
- Poultry breats - 170F
- Whole poultry (take measurements in the thigh) - 180F
Grilling, when done right, is not only safe but also very healthy. You still have plenty of time this year to get some good grilling done!!! |
| What's in Yours?
Hot dogs, wieners, frankfurters, whatever you call them, they are as much a part of summertime barbecues as fireworks on the 4th of July. Some people like them plain and some love them smothered in onions, chili, sauerkraut, relish, mustard or ketchup. One thing is for sure, there's plenty of controversy over their ingredients and their nutritional value. So how did hot dogs acquire such a bad rap? Well, back in the day before Federal Government-issued meat regulations, they actually might have contained such things as snouts, lips, ears and hearts. Today hot dogs may be made from trimmings, like stew meat, and although they may contain parts not usually consumed as "dinner," they are still healthy. In fact, if any manufacturer uses meat by-products, the ingredient label must clearly state "variety meats." Bottom line, while the fat in hot dogs is bad for our arteries and while they may not be the healthiest food on the planet, the couple of hot dogs at a holiday barbecue or family reunion this summer are hardly worth getting yourself all in a pickle over...so enjoy! | |
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