Grilled cooking and healthy eating

An ancient cooking method, very appreciated but not always healthy

Grilling food is one of the oldest cooking methods: it is simple, fast and gives the dishes a distinctive flavor, irresistible to many.

Grilling can be of two types: by radiation or by contact. In the first case, heat is transmitted by radiation without direct contact between the food and the heat source. This is the case, for example, of the classic barbecues in which the embers are located at a distance of a few centimeters from the grid and transmits heat to only one side of the food.

In the case of contact grilling, red-hot plates are used instead, which are made to adhere directly to the food.

Rules and Tips for optimal grilling

Below are some useful tips for cooking on the grill, then we will deal with the nutritional and health aspects of this ancient cooking method

It takes about an hour for the wood to reduce to embers, better to choose seasoned wood such as vine or juniper and avoid the resinous wood. Prepare a quantity of wood that allows the formation of a slightly wider layer of embers than the grid for a thickness of about 5 centimeters.
The grid should be stainless steel and with thin temples
The grill should not be in direct contact with the fire but at a distance of at least 10-15 centimeters depending on the thickness of the meat, the temperature and the quantity of the embers. Before storing the dishes, the grill must be heated well.
It is a good rule to avoid puncturing the meat to prevent the leakage of liquids; it is therefore advisable to use blades or pliers to turn the dishes
For the same reason it is good not to sprinkle the salt during cooking
The cooking time is related to the type and thickness of the food. In general, the cheese has shorter cooking times.
It is good not to overdo the seasonings but lightly sprinkle the dishes with a brush or a sprig of rosemary
In any case, the meat must be completely thawed and dried before being placed on the grill

Barbecue sauce

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Grilled cooking, healthy eating and health

In the introductory part of this article we stated that grilling is an unhealthy cooking method. In fact the use of the grill to prepare food is not well regarded by nutritionists, even if in this regard there are conflicting opinions. The reduced use of condiments would make it particularly healthy if it were not for the very high temperatures reached during cooking. The heat is in fact able to alter the organic substances present in the dishes. If we consider that during cooking temperatures close to or even higher than 1000 degrees can be reached it is easy to imagine how consistent this alteration is.

In particular, the attention of nutritionists is directed not only to the important loss of the vitamin assets of vegetables but above all to the formation of carcinogenic substances deriving from the burning of the external parts and in particular of the fatter ones. In the characteristic burnt strips it is possible to find derivatives of benzopyrene and anthracene, both strongly carcinogenic. Suffice it to say that a low kg of grilled meat contains the same amount of benzopyrene present in 600 cigarettes. See also: Diet and cancer

For this reason it is important to clean the grill carefully at the beginning and at the end of its use, in this way the possibility that toxic residues from the previous cooking go to adhere to new foods distorts their characteristics and safety.

For the same reason, the traditional grid of the plate is better, since the contact surfaces are lower. Also the inversion of food during cooking helps to limit contact times with the hot grill. However, these last points do not go very well with the rules of good food which in many cases involve marinating and / or adding the food and few reversals during cooking.

As amply illustrated in the article "What are the ideal oils for frying?" the oils and all the fats generally have a maximum limit of endurance of the heat beyond which their molecular structure is altered and toxic residues are produced for our body. The temperatures reached during cooking on the grill far exceed this limit and it is therefore good to avoid sprinkling the meat with oil during cooking. On the other hand, the high temperature of the grill is necessary to form a thin outer layer which prevents the liquids contained in the meat from escaping while maintaining its natural softness.

If on the one hand the external temperature reaches very high temperatures, on the other hand the internal temperature, given the reduced exposure time to heat, remains relatively low. In particular it can happen that for very thick cuts of meat, the inside remains excessively raw and beyond the taste not everyone likes, any pathogenic germs could survive.

Therefore, grilling is not among the healthiest cooking methods, but its harmful aspects can be limited by taking certain precautions:

first of all, to choose meat of good quality and of guaranteed origin, in this way we at least partially avert the dangers that toxic residues of cooking are associated with also residues of hormones or other carcinogenic substances used in breeding livestock;
avoid the fattest cuts of meat as, as we have seen, it is the fat that undergoes the most damaging alterations with heat; alternatively, remove visible fat from the meat before cooking;
for the same reason, limit the cooking of the food during cooking;
avoid consuming clearly charred foods or at least scraping away the roasted parts;
drink plenty of water and avoid the association with alcohol to facilitate the elimination of toxins;
associate to meat foods rich in fiber and antioxidants such as vegetables, which should be eaten preferably raw;
avoid over-salting the food.

Respecting these tips, food grilling will become healthier and will delight the most demanding palates. Good grill at all!