While grilling is a fun activity and the food tastes great, it can be very unhealthy. Every year Americans in their millions are diagnosed with Food Poisoning, Diabetes, and various Bacteria-related diseases, like Salmonella and E-coli. Grilling regularly, without knowing how to grill healthily, can also cause huge weight gain, but you’ll be glad to know that there is a way you can avoid all of these health problems, and that is by using this exclusive guide to Healthy Grilling.
Lean Cuts
Choose leans cuts of meat that have as little as possible fat. Provided they have the minimum of fat, that is required to absorb heat and seasoning into the meat, then these lean cuts will taste great. If you buy a cut of meat with lots of fat on it, simply trim it off. Cutting out a certain amount of fat in the meats you grill, will have a positive effect on your diet.
Marinate
A little known fact outside of scientific circles is that marinating meat can block the formation of HCA’S. HCA stands for heterocyclic amines and these are carcinogens (cancer causing agents) So marinated meat not only has amazing flavour, but might also save your life.
Separate Food
Bacterial cross-contamination is when bacteria from one food, is transferred to another food, and it can be extremely harmful, even fatal. The process of cooking burns bacteria off food and kills it, but if you mix food that is about to be cooked, with food your going to eat without cooking, then you’ll be consuming the bacteria. So, always prepare food for cooking and food that’s not for cooking, separately. Also cut raw meats on a different surface than vegetables, or if you must use the same surface, then wash it after the first use. And, never serve food for eating, on plates that have previously had raw meet on.
Expand your repertoire
You don’t just have to cook meat; pizza’s can taste fantastic on the grill, and with a pizza you can put anything you want on there. Make sure you always put 2 handfuls of vegetables onto the pizza, because a handful is the standard portion size, and you need five portions of fruit and vegetables each day for healthy living. There are some other surprisingly good tasting foods you can grill; Romaine lettuce drenched in olive oil, and peppered is a taste to behold; Watermelon not only tastes great, but adds a smoked flavour to meats; Mango’s, Grapes and Pineapple’s contain about 50% of your recommended daily intake of vitamins, and are a popular food used in Caribbean grilled cooking. Ever had Asparagus, with Beef? You should try it, because Asparagus contains a wide variety of vitamins and goes excellently with most meats.
Switch it up
What if you love Kebabs? Well, that means you’ve got something in common with me. I adore Kebabs and I eat them every chance I get, but I’ve maintained the same weight for years. I achieve this by switching foods. Did you know you can make Kebabs out of fish and not only is it healthier, but you might actually prefer fish Kebabs. The best fish Kebabs are made using strips of Salmon and Shrimp with Peppers and Onion. To stay healthy, try having a Fish Kebab, one out of every three times you grills Kebabs.
The Shorter the Better
This is a basic rule of healthy cooking; The faster food is cooked, the less likely it is to develop charring. Charred meat is unhealthy and should be avoided. So aim to cook quickly, but never cook meat over 165 degrees, because the vitamins inside will burn off.
Clean the Grill
Not only does Bacteria from meats get on the grilling surface, but also bacteria in the air settles after cooking, so make sure you clean thoroughly to avoid Salmonella and E-Coli.
This article server as your guide to healthy grilling. Do share with people you care about.