EVERY YEAR, THE GRILL SEASON STARTS AT THE EARLY OF MAY.
In gardens, parks, on allotments, groups of people feast at grills usually full of sausages, pork necks or black puddings, accompanied by light bread and often mayonnaise-based sauces, all washed down with cold beer.
Grilling itself is not the healthiest method of heat treating food. During this process, harmful substances are released, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that have carcinogenic effects. However, it is worth emphasizing that grilling is not the same as grilling. Knowing a few useful tips on how to make feasting outdoors with loved ones without harming not only our figure, but above all our health, we do not have to deny ourselves this pleasant summer activity. Well, who can't imagine a holiday without organizing at least one barbecue? ?
NOT ONLY MEAT CAN BE GRILLED!
The first and most important: among grilled products, meat products dominate - primarily various types of sausages, pork necks, black puddings and tenderloins. And this is also the biggest mistake, because in itself processed meat is a strong carcinogen. We would like to remind you that the World Health Organization has classified processed meat in the same group as asbestos or tobacco, which means that there is strong scientific evidence indicating a relationship between consumption and an increased risk of cancer development.
Vegetables, if they appear on our grill at all, are treated only as a minor addition. While they can easily replace the above-mentioned ones!
We can grill potatoes, eggplant, zucchini, peppers, corn, champignons, asparagus, pineapple or even bananas! Not to mention, of course, the irreplaceable tofu, which not only can be given any flavor by marinating in your favorite spices, but will also be an excellent source of easily digestible protein. Because tofu is a bit like chicken breast. Raw it has no taste, only with appropriate spices we give it the desired taste.
If we don't want to give up meat flavors, we now have an extremely wide range of plant substitutes in stores. These are processed products, but still healthier than processed meat. Plus they do not contain heme iron. Now you're probably wondering, what's wrong with heme iron, since it is an undisputed fact that iron is better absorbed than non-heme iron from plant products? Studies have shown that excess iron in the diet, especially from red meat, is associated with an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer [1,2,3,4]. A smaller supply of this ingredient reduces this risk [5].
Excess heme iron also adversely affects the intestinal microflora and increases inflammatory markers [6]. High levels of iron in the blood increase the level of oxidative stress and the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
MAKE YOUR OWN SAUCE AND YOUR OWN SPICE BLEND!
Mayonnaise sauces are unnecessary calorie bombs, which only result in a feeling of heaviness, drowsiness and often heartburn.
You can easily make the sauces yourself, and the base, which is usually mayonnaise, can be replaced with, for example, plant-based natural yogurt.
Why plant-based yogurt and not the commonly available one made from cow's milk? We will then avoid saturated fats and estrogens, which increase the incidence and mortality of some types of cancer - including: breast cancer [7, 8].
As with cooking in general, here too - we are only limited by our imagination! We especially recommend a very simple sauce for grilled vegetables tzatziki, based on natural plant yogurt, with fresh cucumber, garlic, lemon and dill. Sauce barbecue – all we really need is ketchup, plum jam, a bit of smoked paprika and olive oil! Tartar sauce – with chives. Slightly thicker dips are also great for grilled dishes - mango, guacamole or potato "cheese" (an absolute hit - not only for barbecues!). In addition to a number of beneficial health-promoting properties, olive oil is also an excellent base for sauces - with the addition of grated fresh garlic and favorite herbs - as he found. Same with pesto!
A much healthier alternative is to prepare spice mixtures yourself. Why? Ready-made ones usually contain significant amounts of salt.
AND AFTER THE GRILL…. WALK!
Do you feel full? Take advantage of the beautiful summer weather and go for a walk with your loved ones! This way you will burn extra calories and the feeling of lethargy will quickly disappear.
THE SMALLER THE HEALTHIER THEM, BUT YOU WILL ALSO EAT QUICKER 😉
The longer products are left on the rack, the longer they are exposed to harmful substances. That's why it's worth grilling smaller portions.
USE ALUMINUM TRAY
Dripping fat, especially animal fat, burning on the embers is one of the main carcinogens during grilling. Therefore, it is worth putting products not directly on the bars, but on special trays. However, here's a quick note: if we're going to sprinkle lemon on something, do it after removing it from the tray, on a plate! Aluminum reacts with acid and can leach into food.
We wish you a pleasant barbecue! ?
Bibliography:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23568532
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21209396
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12750250
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12421881
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18612130
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29070544
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25648405/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23492346/
