Kitchenability

02.19.2018

Can Barbecue Cooking Form Part of a Healthy Diet?

Special Contribution By Lucy Wyndham

One of the best things about the 21st century is the growing awareness of how food makes it from the farm to our table. Forbes points out that the health food industry is booming, with a variety of products now containing USDA-certified organic ingredients, and advertising that they have no added sugar or artificial ingredients. In the U.S. alone, organic sales totaled around $47 billion in 2018, with numbers expected to grow exponentially over the next few years.

As we progress to a more mindful way of eating, a question remains: can we still enjoy our favorite traditions, including the all-American barbecue? In this post, we delve into ways the whole family can enjoy a tasty barbecue and promote better health (and even a trimmer waistline!).

It’s All in the Ingredients

Two diets which are often recommended by health professionals are the Mediterranean and the Paleo Diets, respectively. They are related, with a few notable differences. The Mediterranean diet focuses on lean proteins, plant-based foods, whole grains, legumes, and nuts, as well as healthy oils such as cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil. Many studies have found that this diet promotes greater heart health, and helps keep obesity and Type 2 diabetes at bay.

The Paleo diet also focuses on healthy protein sources and produce, but eschews grains, focusing instead on how our Paleolithic ancestors used to eat. Both diets have good success rates, and both shun processed, refined foods, especially those containing high levels of sugar and high-fructose syrup.

Healthy but Flavor-Packed

When you are following these diets, feel free to cook everything from chicken breasts to any vegetables you can think of, including zucchini, carrots, or organic corn. Your choice of a marinade is also key: avoid recipes containing sugar and use basic ingredients like garlic, olive oil, and lemon, to fill your dishes with flavor.

It might be tempting to reach for a bottle of barbecue marinade to give your food a smoked flavor, but do it the natural way, using wood chunks, chips or pellets, to give your grilled foods a smoky flavor. The key to your wonderful smoky flavor is your ability to control the temperature over a long period of time. Keep the meat away from the direct flame, holding the temperature at a steady 225 – 250°F.

As for your ingredients, consider organic meat and veggies: Many have been found to contain significantly higher levels of Omega-3 essential fatty acids, while organic produce has been proven to contain far more antioxidants than produce that is conventionally grown.

Variety is the Spice of Life

Some people worry about the health effects of cooking meat on the barbecue. While it is true that cooking meat can promote a chemical reaction that produces HCAs (compounds which have been linked to cancer when found in high concentrations), a study reported in the Harvard Health Letter suggests you can reduce the level of these carcinogens by pre-cooking meat in the microwave for two minutes, cooking it afterwards to obtain a smoky flavor. Marinating meat in alcohol, meanwhile, has also been found to lower carcinogen levels by 40%.

At any rate, long as you barbecue food in moderation, as part of a special family get-together or celebratory occasion, there is no reason to worry about any negative health effects. Select quality ingredients, use the right marinades and make sure there are various colors on your plate before you start tucking in.