Crickets and health Charred meat healthy?

Barbecue: Charred meat healthy?

Charred meat can apparently lower the risk of cancer

06/17/2014

Every year, doctors at the beginning of the barbecue season warn of the carcinogenic effects of charred grilled food. The resulting chemical compounds during grilling of meat and fish could be carcinogenic, reports, for example, the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ). Nevertheless, most Germans do not want to give up their barbecue fun in the summer. This is not only true for meat eaters, but also for many vegetarians. The cozy sitting together outdoors and the preparation of the food on the grill are an integral part of every summer in this country.

In order to avoid possible health risks due to chemical compounds such as acrylamide, benzpyrene and heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAA), which can be produced during grilling, many have recommended more gentle preparation methods in the past. For example, the grill food often ends up in an aluminum dish on the grill. While it remains undisputed that the carcasses are formed during high-grade grilling over burning coal, but for their actual effect is crucial to what extent they develop in the human body, reports the news magazine „World Online“ citing a recent study by Canadian researchers. Scientists at the Canadian Food Research Division have discovered that charred grilled meat can reduce cancer risk rather than increasing it, as previously thought.

Acts charred meat like activated carbon?
Burns the meat on the grill, the charred residues are similar to activated carbon according to the news magazine and can bind pollutants such as benzopyrene, which unreacted pass through the digestive tract and excreted again, without causing any special oxidative damage. „This explains why increased benzpyrene use in studies does not automatically increase the risk of cancer - it also depends on the preparation of the food“, is quoted study leader study director construction Stavric. Apparently, those charred meat areas would have a prophylactic effect, which, paradoxically, is often considered to be extremely dangerous.

Herbal ingredients reduce the risk of cancer
The scientists were also able to prove that herbal ingredients counteract the harmful substances such as benzopyrene. Here, above all, mention should be made of quercetin, which occurs in capers and lovage „World Online“from the study results of the Canadian researchers. Corn germ oil, on the other hand, leads to a reversed effect, as it releases the benzpyrene, which subsequently increases its carcinogenic potential in the gut. In 2008, a study by food chemist Professor Scott Smith of Kansas State University looked at the benefits of herbal ingredients in barbecues. He had investigated the effect of marinades from different herbs on the content of carcinogenic compounds (heterocyclic amines) in grilled meat.

Herbal marinades especially recommended
The research team led by Professor Smith mainly tested marinades with herbs from the mint family, such as basil, mint, rosemary, sage, savory, marjoram, oregano and thyme, as these contain many antioxidants. Were the steaks „marinated with a commercial product of rosemary and thyme, this reduces the HAA in the fried product by 87 percent,“, reports Kansas State University. The scientists assume a similar effect on other spices such as basil, sage, and oregano. Parsley, fennel, paprika, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon may also contribute to a reduction in HAA on the grilled food, but this will need further review.

Burns Main risk when grilling
Justifiably stressed „World Online“ in the current article, that grilling is not about assessing the possible risk of cancer as the main source of danger, but the threat of burns. Around 3,000 severe burns per barbecue season were recorded. In addition, people would suffocate or die from CO2 poisoning because they operate the barbecue indoors. The improper use of the fire is therefore the greatest danger when grilling. (Fp)