Guest guest Posted May 25, 2009 Report Share Posted May 25, 2009 I heard that eating grilled meats can increase one's chance of getting cancer. But is there anything harmful, other than depleting nutrients, in grilling veggies or veggie/tofu burgers? Also, I heard there are issues with the charcoal that is used in grilling. Is there a healthier alternative to the typical charcoal. Now that summer is fast approaching, my family is considering buying our first outdoor grill, but needed these questions answered before doing so. Thanks for any insight!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 25, 2009 Report Share Posted May 25, 2009 I've always joked that the black char that occurs from grilling is " cancer " - whether is be on meat, veggies or other stuff. If you can grill without actually charring the food I think it would be okay. What does everyone else think? --- On Mon, 5/25/09, admartin5 <admartin5 wrote: admartin5 <admartin5 Harm in Grilling NonMeat Items Monday, May 25, 2009, 10:32 AM I heard that eating grilled meats can increase one's chance of getting cancer. But is there anything harmful, other than depleting nutrients, in grilling veggies or veggie/tofu burgers? Also, I heard there are issues with the charcoal that is used in grilling. Is there a healthier alternative to the typical charcoal. Now that summer is fast approaching, my family is considering buying our first outdoor grill, but needed these questions answered before doing so. Thanks for any insight!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 25, 2009 Report Share Posted May 25, 2009 I teach cooking classes with The Cancer Project. We don't specifically discourage roasting or grilling vegetables or veggie burgers, but definitely discourage consuming hetrocyclic amines in meat which are formed from cooking meat for long periods of time, or at high temperatures. http://www.cancerproject.org/diet_cancer/nutrition/heterocyclic.php On the other hand, Dr. Joel Furman does discourage the practice of browning any foods. He's probably right, that it damages the vegetables. You may be able to find a reference on his website. http://www.drfuhrman.com/ From my perspective, I think it is probably OK for healthy people to consume grilled vegetable foods once in awhile. Make sure you also eat a high fiber diet (beans are the best source) to help your body eliminate the damaged portions of foods (the blackened part). I hope this helps some. Tracy On May 25, 2009, at 7:32 AM, <admartin5 <admartin5 wrote: > > > I heard that eating grilled meats can increase one's chance of > getting cancer. But is there anything harmful, other than depleting > nutrients, in grilling veggies or veggie/tofu burgers? > > Also, I heard there are issues with the charcoal that is used in > grilling. Is there a healthier alternative to the typical charcoal. > Now that summer is fast approaching, my family is considering > buying our first outdoor grill, but needed these questions answered > before doing so. Thanks for any insight!!! > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 25, 2009 Report Share Posted May 25, 2009 Grilled fruit is my favorite summer treat; we also grill marinated tofu and veggies. We buy charcoal made from wood at Whole Foods; or grill over wood. ________________________________ " admartin5 " <admartin5 Monday, May 25, 2009 9:32:30 AM Harm in Grilling NonMeat Items I heard that eating grilled meats can increase one's chance of getting cancer. But is there anything harmful, other than depleting nutrients, in grilling veggies or veggie/tofu burgers? Also, I heard there are issues with the charcoal that is used in grilling. Is there a healthier alternative to the typical charcoal. Now that summer is fast approaching, my family is considering buying our first outdoor grill, but needed these questions answered before doing so. Thanks for any insight!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 25, 2009 Report Share Posted May 25, 2009 Hi all, Here's an article from the Cancer Project re: grilling different foods. http://www.cancerproject.org/media/news/fiveworstfoodsreport.php Their research found that eating grilled meat or meat cooked at high temps increases chances for cancer (as does eating meat in general, they note), but that veggie burgers or vegetables grilled have zero or negligible levels of these same carcinogenic compounds. As well, this bit on About.com notes that it's the grilling of meat that turns an amino acid into a carcinogenic chemical. http://cancer.about.com/od/foodguide/a/grillingmeat.htm So, these two articles together (just the first two things I found when I googled " grilling meat cancer " ), make it seem that it's not the char, it's the changes in animal flesh at high temps that's a problem. I will feel safe in grilling up veggies and veggie burgers and all kinds of stuff this summer. Hmmm, wonder if this will be the week we'll clean that thing off and cook outside? :-) Lorraine On Behalf Of Denise Turner Monday, May 25, 2009 10:53 AM Re: Harm in Grilling NonMeat Items I've always joked that the black char that occurs from grilling is " cancer " - whether is be on meat, veggies or other stuff. If you can grill without actually charring the food I think it would be okay. What does everyone else think? --- On Mon, 5/25/09, admartin5@embarqmai <admartin5%40embarqmail.com> l.com <admartin5@embarqmai <admartin5%40embarqmail.com> l.com> wrote: admartin5@embarqmai <admartin5%40embarqmail.com> l.com <admartin5@embarqmai <admartin5%40embarqmail.com> l.com> Harm in Grilling NonMeat Items @gro <%40> ups.com Monday, May 25, 2009, 10:32 AM I heard that eating grilled meats can increase one's chance of getting cancer. But is there anything harmful, other than depleting nutrients, in grilling veggies or veggie/tofu burgers? Also, I heard there are issues with the charcoal that is used in grilling. Is there a healthier alternative to the typical charcoal. Now that summer is fast approaching, my family is considering buying our first outdoor grill, but needed these questions answered before doing so. Thanks for any insight!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 25, 2009 Report Share Posted May 25, 2009 Hi- I found this info: http://chemistry.about.com/b/2008/05/24/barbeque-carcinogens.htm It appears that it doesn't matter if it's meat or not; burnt toast and marshmallows are mentioned, too. I don't really know what to think of this; I've heard other places that it's really just an urban legend. At any rate, according to this article, the risk seems unquantified at this point as to how much you would have to ingest to cause cancer, etc. . I'll give you my own two cents: so many things we do on a daily basis are full of risk. Every trip in the car; just getting in the shower. I had the misfortune yesterday of having to walk through a cloud of cigarette smoke outside a Safeway store from some employees as I made my way to another store- and I'm 8 months pregnant. I think we're all pretty much into 'food risk aversion' here on this group. I would hate to miss out on (IMO) one of summer's great pleasures by not barbecuing! For me, part of risk management is not worrying about every little tiny thing. Is this tiny? Maybe, maybe not. I haven't seen any evidence yet that causes me to make it into a 'biggie'. I figure the stress from making every 'litttle' into a 'biggie' is probably more harmful to my health than the cumulative effect of the 'littles' anyway. As for the charcoal thing I have no idea. We personally use gas, for better or worse, because charcoal takes so darn long to get 'ready' and I don't have 45 minutes to dilly dally around while making dinner. Charcoal imparts a better flavor, but I guess we're taking the road to convenience on this one. So there's my two cents. j. ________________________________ Denise Turner <deniseamay Monday, May 25, 2009 10:53:23 AM Re: Harm in Grilling NonMeat Items I've always joked that the black char that occurs from grilling is " cancer " - whether is be on meat, veggies or other stuff. If you can grill without actually charring the food I think it would be okay. What does everyone else think? --- On Mon, 5/25/09, admartin5@embarqmai l.com <admartin5@embarqmai l.com> wrote: admartin5@embarqmai l.com <admartin5@embarqmai l.com> Harm in Grilling NonMeat Items @gro ups.com Monday, May 25, 2009, 10:32 AM I heard that eating grilled meats can increase one's chance of getting cancer. But is there anything harmful, other than depleting nutrients, in grilling veggies or veggie/tofu burgers? Also, I heard there are issues with the charcoal that is used in grilling. Is there a healthier alternative to the typical charcoal. Now that summer is fast approaching, my family is considering buying our first outdoor grill, but needed these questions answered before doing so. Thanks for any insight!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 Lorraine- Funny that the info you found is almost in direct opposition to the chemistry one I found. This just illustrates why I decided not to stress too much about it- the jury seems to be out- especially as it relates to veggie bbq! j. ________________________________ Lorraine <ldemi Monday, May 25, 2009 3:09:53 PM RE: Harm in Grilling NonMeat Items Hi all, Here's an article from the Cancer Project re: grilling different foods. http://www.cancerproject.org/media/news/fiveworstfoodsreport.php Their research found that eating grilled meat or meat cooked at high temps increases chances for cancer (as does eating meat in general, they note), but that veggie burgers or vegetables grilled have zero or negligible levels of these same carcinogenic compounds. As well, this bit on About.com notes that it's the grilling of meat that turns an amino acid into a carcinogenic chemical. http://cancer. about.com/ od/foodguide/ a/grillingmeat. htm So, these two articles together (just the first two things I found when I googled " grilling meat cancer " ), make it seem that it's not the char, it's the changes in animal flesh at high temps that's a problem. I will feel safe in grilling up veggies and veggie burgers and all kinds of stuff this summer. Hmmm, wonder if this will be the week we'll clean that thing off and cook outside? :-) Lorraine @gro ups.com [@gro ups.com] On Behalf Of Denise Turner Monday, May 25, 2009 10:53 AM @gro ups.com Re: Harm in Grilling NonMeat Items I've always joked that the black char that occurs from grilling is " cancer " - whether is be on meat, veggies or other stuff. If you can grill without actually charring the food I think it would be okay. What does everyone else think? --- On Mon, 5/25/09, admartin5@embarqmai <admartin5% 40embarqmail. com> l.com <admartin5@embarqma i <admartin5% 40embarqmail. com> l.com> wrote: admartin5@embarqmai <admartin5% 40embarqmail. com> l.com <admartin5@embarqma i <admartin5% 40embarqmail. com> l.com> Harm in Grilling NonMeat Items @gro <% 40. com> ups.com Monday, May 25, 2009, 10:32 AM I heard that eating grilled meats can increase one's chance of getting cancer. But is there anything harmful, other than depleting nutrients, in grilling veggies or veggie/tofu burgers? Also, I heard there are issues with the charcoal that is used in grilling. Is there a healthier alternative to the typical charcoal. Now that summer is fast approaching, my family is considering buying our first outdoor grill, but needed these questions answered before doing so. Thanks for any insight!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 I'm not an authority , but I have heard that it is the fat from the meat when it hits the charcoal that causes the cancinogenic effect back onto the meat, so it shouldn't necessarily be a problem grilling veggies on a grill since there is no animal fat... , <admartin5 wrote: > > I heard that eating grilled meats can increase one's chance of getting cancer. But is there anything harmful, other than depleting nutrients, in grilling veggies or veggie/tofu burgers? > > Also, I heard there are issues with the charcoal that is used in grilling. Is there a healthier alternative to the typical charcoal. Now that summer is fast approaching, my family is considering buying our first outdoor grill, but needed these questions answered before doing so. Thanks for any insight!!! > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 27, 2009 Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 I just remembered reading an article a few years ago about burnt toast being carcinogenic: http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22867394-5006007,00.html Burnt rye bread is one of my favorite foods ________________________________ mylameoww <mylameoww Tuesday, May 26, 2009 4:29:38 PM Re: Harm in Grilling NonMeat Items I'm not an authority , but I have heard that it is the fat from the meat when it hits the charcoal that causes the cancinogenic effect back onto the meat, so it shouldn't necessarily be a problem grilling veggies on a grill since there is no animal fat... @gro ups.com, <admartin5@. ..> wrote: > > I heard that eating grilled meats can increase one's chance of getting cancer. But is there anything harmful, other than depleting nutrients, in grilling veggies or veggie/tofu burgers? > > Also, I heard there are issues with the charcoal that is used in grilling. Is there a healthier alternative to the typical charcoal. Now that summer is fast approaching, my family is considering buying our first outdoor grill, but needed these questions answered before doing so. Thanks for any insight!!! > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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