It
is often said that cooking foods at very high temperatures, such as grilling or
barbequing, can create cancer causing substances. These compounds are called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and
are formed from the burning of amino acids in meats. A recent study in the Journal of Food Science may help you
to feel a little better about firing up the barbeque pit this summer. This study showed that adding rosemary
extract to beef patties before grilling decreased the production of HCAs by up
to 90 percent! In addition to
adding rosemary, cooking at lower temperatures and frequently flipping meats
can help decrease production too.
Rosemary is high in antioxidants that are believed to neutralize substances
before they form into HCAs. If you
don’t like rosemary, try adding thyme, sage, garlic, or chopped apples,
pineapples, or cherries to ground meat.
Studies show these may do the trick as well. Happy eating!
Estelle L. Benoit, RD, LDN
Source: realage.com, cancer.org