If you adopt the right processes, your grilled food can turn out healthy just like cooked foods, or even healthier. One of the popular rules of a good eating out habit is to choose grilled foods in place of fried foods — the reason being that grilled foods are often healthier since they come with no dripping grease or batter coating.
In addition, grilling can give food a better taste and appearance — the smoky flavors, alongside marinades, and even the high heat used in grilling. Well, it doesn?t mean grilling cannot become unhealthy. This is because many people end up consuming meats and sausages high in fat when they grill — resulting in the acquisition of more cholesterol, saturated fat and fat.
Besides, the issue of potentially cancer-risk agents is there to consider — typical examples include PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons), and HCAs (Heterocyclic Amines). For PAHs, the formation is accomplished when drips of fat from fatty meat drops on the grill or hot coals.
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Here?s the good news — you can make your grilling healthier by adopting these proven tips;
Tip #1: Grill Lean and Grill Wisely
Try to cut back the amount of fat drips on your smoker when you grill. How can you achieve this? Always start with lean cuts and make sure they do not have any obvious skin and fat. So, a healthier start is to go for skinless chicken and lean cut of pork or beef.
Tip #2: Grill Veggies and Fruits
Grilled vegetables and fruits are not necessarily side dishes for your grilled meat or fish. You can grill only fruits and vegetables and eat them. Our bodies need tons of fruits and vegetables, and grilled options are delectable.
Of course, you know that your body derives tons of benefits from fruits and vegetables. It cuts back the risk of life-threatening diseases such as stroke, coronary heart disease, and a number of cancer types. It also helps to tame obesity. The best part is that HCAs and PAHs do not form when grilled vegetables and fruits are involved. Besides, you should always make fruit and vegetables essential part of your grilled meat, so that you can derive anti-oxidant benefits.
Tip #3: Reduce Grill Time
Also, when it comes to making your grilling healthier, you should reduce grilling time. The trick is to grill smaller portions at a time, resulting in faster cooking, so that the time your foods stay on the grill is minimized. Also, a great way to cut back on grilling duration is to precook the poultry, fish or meat in a microwave or oven, and complete the cooking with grilling.
Tip #4: Use Gas Grill in Place of Lighting Fluid
As much as you can, you should go for gas grill instead of lighting fluid. Use your gas grill to ignite the charcoal if you prefer to smoke the meat or fish. Gasoline which is used in making lighting fluid is not good for your health.
Tip #5: Marinate
The idea of marinating foods in order to infuse savory and aromatic flavor is a healthier way to add flavor to your grilled foods. And, if you?re looking for ideas on healthier marinade ingredients, you should choose vinegars, lime juice, lemon, garlic, honey, wines, spices, herbs, and onions.
Fat-free marinades are better options for your grilled poultry, fish and meats. This would cut back the amount fat drips on the coals. According to one study, marinating prior to grilling helps to minimize the formation of HCAS by 99 percent or slighly less.
And, when you marinate, you should remember the following;
- Go for bottled marinades that contain canola oil or olive oil in very small quantity
- Before marinating, ensure the food stays in the refrigerator for 2 hours or more
- Marinade poultry and fish for not less than 1-2 hours, and just an hour for vegetables
Tip #6: Flip the Food Frequently
When grilling, you should adopt the habit of flipping your meat, fish or other foods at close intervals. This approach may help cut back or completely eliminate HCAs formation. This was proven via a research that adopted hamburger patties for the study. And, you should rather flip with spatula or tongs instead of fork.
Tip #8: Get the Skewer to Work
The essence of using a skewer for small pieces of fish or meat is to reduce grilling time. And, the best foods to skewer include shrimps and scallops. You can also adopt my favorite style of alternating pieces of seafood, chicken, meat, or a mixture of the following — small mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and zucchini slices.
So, adopt these tips to start a healthier grilling.