Food Preparation and Toxicity: Grilling
Food Preparation and Toxicity: Grilling Nancy A. Palermo MD There is a lot more attention on our food sources and the type of food we eat. We are recognizing the importance of organic, minimally processed foods and their roles in health and disease prevention. It turns out how we cook these foods plays an equally important role. When the weather is favorable many of us cook meals on our outdoor grill. While small amounts of grilling are acceptable research has suggested that meats may form carcinogenic chemicals called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) when charred or cooked over high heat. Animal studies have shown these chemicals can damage DNA, lead to free radicals and potentially increase the risk of cancers. While these studies were conducted on...
