A good friend was recently trying to decide on his barbeque method of choice. He preferred the taste of charcoal, but I suggested the ease of propane was the way to go.
He eventually went with propane, but not because it is easier. It turns out that charcoal cooking is directly linked to a few carcinogenic substances from flare-ups that splatter on the meat. They are called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and they are associated with higher risks of stomach cancer. In addition to the problems caused by charcoal, it turns out there are large health risks with cooking meat in many different methods.
This prompted me to research what all of this is about. First off, red meat consumption has been linked to higher levels of stomach and gastrointestinal cancer. This isn’t news exactly, but the reasons for it are related to compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCA), which are produced during the cooking of meat.
Heterocyclic amines are mutagenic and are classified as carcinogens. It is now widely accepted that exposure to these meat carcinogens and HCAs increases the risk of human cancer. In fact the research supporting this connection has been published and verified for YEARS. It’s OLD news. But still, we continue to cook our red meat over charcoal as if we were immortal, as if cancer was someone else’s problem.
There are 4 primary factors in the production of HCA from cooking meat.
- Type of meat
- Level of heat
- Cooking method
- Cooking time
The biggest factor seems to be high temperature cooking. Some studies are showing as much as a 3x increase in HCA production just by doing something as simple as increasing from 200° degrees to 250°, even when cooking for a shorter period.
The next biggest is cooking time. Using the same heat level, but habitually extending the cooking time from Rare or MR to Well Done can increase the risk of stomach cancer by triple! Even meats cooked using relatively safer techniques like baking or pan frying have higher levels of HCA when cooked to “welldone” status.
BBQ, broiling and deepfrying are some of the most “dangerous” methods of meat cooking. Baking and pan frying produce fewer HCA, even at the same temp levels. Stewing and boiling and poaching are done at or below 100°C and produce significantly fewer HCA.
What can we do about it?
Well, for starters, stop using charcoal grills. The additional cancer risks are simply not worth it, not to mention the fact that they release those same hydrocarbons into the atmosphere. Many of us are attempting to reduce our carbon footprint, and eliminating charcoal grilling is a great step for that.
Next, rethink your stance on welldone meats. The small risk of a food bourne illness such as food poisoning or ecoli is a small one compared to the long term tripling of stomach cancer risk. Make sure the internal temperature of the meat rises to the recommended safe cooking temp, but don’t let it stay longer.
Some studies have shown that microwaving the meats before grilling can kill some of the mutagenic precursors, reducing the HCA production when they are finally grilled. In fact, meat that was microwaved for 2 minutes prior to grilling showed a 90% reduction in HCA.
Since HCAs are mutagenics, they can be combatted with anti-oxidants. Using a marinade with ingredients such as cherries, garlic, virgin olive oil, and things that are high in anti-oxidants like wines and grape seed extracts can reduce the HCA production as well. But not traditional BBQ sauces, with their tomato solids and sugars, they seem to INCREASE HCA production.
Other techniques suggested by the USDA include removing visible fat before grilling and cutting off charred portions before serving.
To date, no formal studies have been done to establish daily recommended safe levels of HCA consumption. The cautious and health conscious person will want to limit them as much as possible, as much as we try to prevent other forms of carcinogens from entering our bodies.
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