Barbecue diet? It is possible! |

In theory, grilling should be a fairly healthy way to prepare food, even as fatty as pork neck. Why? Because, unlike many other methods, fat is irretrievably melted from meat: it does not end up in the stock, nor will it become a delicious (but very caloric) sauce. Instead, it flows down onto the glowing coals and… disappears?

Unfortunately, it doesn’t go away. It comes back, and in a not very pleasant way.

Organic substances at high temperatures can undergo a number of unfavorable changes and fat dripping from the meat is no exception. Under the influence of high temperature, it produces, among others, carcinogenic, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs, including benzoapiren). These, along with the smoke, “return” to the grilled food and thus make their way to our bodies.

Grilling, especially when the food is exposed to direct contact with flames, also leads to the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HCA), acrylamide, chloropropanols, dioxins and nitrosamines. The latter are made at high temperature from cured, smoked or preserved meats with nitrates and nitrites.

It would seem that aluminum trays may be at least a partial solution to the problem, as they significantly reduce the dripping of fat, and above all the “return” of vapors from the furnace directly to the toasted food. But here too is a toxic trap: temperature and acids, for example in some marinades, accelerate the penetration of toxic aluminum into the food.

In addition, we are exposed to harmful volatile substances not only by eating grilled dishes, but also by grilling. Interestingly, research shows that we absorb more harmful substances through our skin than we inhale.

Either way, even a purely social part of a barbeque meeting, without the element of consumption, can turn out to be unhealthy. And as if that was not enough, the source of harmful substances – which we inhale, absorb and also eat – is even the charcoal itself …

After such a list, you can now ask yourself: How am I still alive? 🙂 There are two answers. The first one is hardly comforting: the substances we are talking about do not bring immediate effects – their harmful effects only become apparent after many years. The second is lucky, is definitely more optimistic: as long as you treat the barbecue as an occasional attraction, and not your daily routine, the doses of harmful substances to which you will be exposed … will not be harmful to you. Even after years.

Let’s not go crazy. You will be fine if you even eat a sausage baked in live fire once in a while, stuffed with preservatives. Of course, you should avoid such situations as much as possible, after all, why eat unnecessarily unhealthy things? However, if you have already eaten such a chemical sausage – you will survive 😉

A healthy and balanced diet

If you are looking for a balanced menu that will allow you to achieve your dietary goal, be sure to read the Tasty Match 5in1 diet. Even every week you can change your menu, because the subscription includes 5 types of diet: classic, veg, veg + fish, gluten-free and dairy-free. What’s more, you will find over 6000 recipes in the database, so you can exchange suggestions from a dietitian for your favorite dishes. The whole offer: https://.pl/dieta/online-5w1

For the future, however, it is worth taming a bit. Let’s start with how to grill.

• First of all, which is a matter of course for experienced barbeque amateurs, you should not grill over the fire, but over glowing briquettes. Thanks to this, the dishes will bake more evenly (taste!) And release much less harmful substances (health!).
• Follow trays, preferably reusable, steel. Disposable, aluminum, try to use only when the food is not acidic.
• WWA and HCA will also provide good food protection aluminum foilwith the same reservation as for the aluminum trays.
• Finally, a traditional charcoal grill is by no means the only option. Devices are also available gas and electricthat eliminate many of the disadvantages of their traditional counterparts. Not only are there no harmful (and perhaps troublesome for neighbors) substances released here from the combustion of coal itself, the processes of formation of unwanted compounds in the dishes themselves are also less intense.

What to grill, that is, not only pork neck

Just as important as grilling is what to grill. And here you can safely – and you should! – follow the same principles that are used to create a healthy menu every day. Instead of a pork neck, a lean chicken breast can easily be barbecued. Instead of sausage – fish, a great source of minerals, vitamins and unsaturated fatty acids beneficial to health.

Remember that herbs are perfect for marinades, preferably fresh. They will not only improve the taste of the meat, but also, thanks to the antioxidant content, will slow down the formation of harmful substances during grilling.

Importantly, no one tells you to stop at meat. Vegetables will also be great on the grill: eggplant, pepper, zucchini, pumpkin, and onion. Cheeses? Why not! You are only limited by your imagination. 

Nothing stands in the way of preparing, apart from hot dishes, salads and salads – even healthier than grilled vegetables. Maybe even grilled treats will become just an addition to a salad feast?

Add wholemeal bread to it, watch out for side dishes (sauces can be a caloric bomb) and suddenly it turns out that instead of meat dripping with fat, you have a dietitian’s dream on your plate!

Of course, sometimes you can reach for the chuck neck as well. But as with everything else, moderation will be needed. Grilled dishes, although tasty, have their drawbacks. They can be reduced to a certain extent, but a healthier method of preparing food is, for example, cooking, especially by steaming.

In the meantime, we wish you a successful overdue picnic, and below are some recipes for tasty grilled dishes!