Does BBQ grilling cause cancer? Research says it can! Not only is it cooking over high heat, but smoked meats also contribute to the chemicals generated through high heat!

Summer parties are coming back this year. That means cranking up the grill and cooking outside. The health problem lurks in the fire over the food. Research discovered that there are two cancer-causing (carcinogenic) byproducts associated with barbecuing red meat, poultry, lamb, pork and fish. The first is a carcinogenic called heterocyclic amines (HCAs). The National Institute of Health and The Department of Health and Human Services includes HCA on their lists to be a human carcinogen. HCAs are formed due to the high temperatures occurring when meat is covered or char-grilled. Studies have shown that when HCAs were fed in the diet, rodents developed cancers in many organs, including the colon, breast and prostate. Research is still underway to determine if this applies to humans as well. The second carcinogen associated with barbecuing is polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). They are formed when fat drips onto the coal or hot surface. The smoke carries the PAHs into the food.  They can also form directly on the food when it is charred.

HCAs and PAHs become capable of damaging DNA only after they are metabolized by specific enzymes in the body, a process called “bioactivation.” Studies have found that the activity of these enzymes, which can differ among people, may be relevant to the cancer risks associated with exposure to these compounds.

In many experiments, rodents fed a diet supplemented with HCAs developed tumors of the breast, colon, liver, skin, lung, prostate, and other organs. Rodents fed PAHs also developed cancers, including leukemia and tumors of the gastrointestinal tract and lungs. However, the doses of HCAs and PAHs used in these studies were very high, equivalent to thousands of times the doses that a person would consume in a normal diet.

Researchers found that high consumption of well-done, fried, or barbecued meats was associated with increased risks of colorectal, pancreatic, cancer. However, other studies have found no association with risks of colorectal or prostate cancer.

Avoiding direct exposure of meat to an open flame or a hot metal surface and avoiding prolonged cooking times (especially at high temperatures) can help reduce HCA and PAH formation.

Using a microwave or oven to cook meat prior to exposure to high temperatures can also substantially reduce HCA formation by reducing the time that meat must be in contact with high heat to finish cooking.

Continuously turning meat over on a high heat source can substantially reduce HCA formation comparted with just leaving the meat on the heat source without flipping it often.

Removing charred portions of meat and refraining from using gravy made from meat drippings can also reduce HCA and PAH exposure. 

Go lean. when fat hits an open flame, it produces PAHs. So, instead of grilling fatty burgers, beef, brats opt for grass-fed steak, chicken, or fish. “But steer clear of tilapia,” advises Dr. Freedland. “It has almost no heart-healthy oils.” The leanest foods to grill are fruits and vegetables.

Choose veggies. When you cook muscle at high temperatures, whether beef, pork, fish, or poultry, it mutates and creates HCAs. “Those are the chemicals that we think lead to cancer” says Dr. Freedland. But fruits and vegetables don’t have protein (muscle) or fat, both of which become problematic when exposed to high temps. So, in terms of potential health risks, grilling produce is a safer way to enjoy your barbecue.

To avoid HCAs:

• Stick with fish. fish contains less fat and cooks faster than meat and poultry.
• Lightly oil the grill. This keeps charred materials from sticking to your food.
• Pre-cook food. Cook meat, poultry or fish in the microwave or oven for two to five minutes, then finish on the grill. Less grill time means less exposure to cancer-causing chemicals.
• Lower the temperature. For a charcoal grill, spread the coals thinly or prop the grill rack on bricks. This reduces the heat by increasing the distance between your food and the coals. Us barbecue briquettes and hardwood products, such as hickory or maple. They burn at lower temperatures than softwood (pine) chips.
• Scrub the grill. Cleaning the grill after each use prevents harmful chemicals from building up and transferring to your food.
• Marinating meat in vinegar lemon juice and herbs such as mint, rosemary, tarragon or sage can reduce HCA formation by as much as 96%. Just 30 minutes can help.