Tip #25: Be careful how you cook your food
Be careful how you cook your food
Overview
•Studies have shown that exposure to chemicals in food cooked at high temperature can cause cancer in animals.
•High consumption of well-done, fried, or barbecued meats was associated with increased risks of cancer.
•Removing charred portions of meat can reduce risk of cancer caused by chemicals.
•Some studies suggest microwaving your food can potentially expose you to carcinogenic toxins.
•Swiss food scientist Dr. Hans Hertel found that microwaved food increased cholesterol levels.
•A Turbo Oven is a helpful appliance that can replace your microwave oven.
Meat Cooked at High Temperatures and Cancer Risk
Source: The website of the National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov)
Chemicals in Meat Cooked at High Temperatures and Cancer Risk
- Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are chemicals formed when muscle meat, including beef, pork, fish, and poultry, is cooked using high-temperature methods, such as pan frying or grilling directly over an open flame.
- The formation of HCAs and PAHs is influenced by the type of meat, the cooking time, the cooking temperature, and the cooking method.
- Exposure to high levels of HCAs and PAHs can cause cancer in animals; however, whether such exposure causes cancer in humans is unclear.
Meat Cooked at High Temperatures and Cancer Risk
Source: The website of the National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov)
Are there ways to reduce HCA and PAH formation in cooked meats? Even though no specific guidelines for HCA/PAH consumption exist, concerned individuals can reduce their exposure by using several cooking methods:
- 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 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 compared 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.
Page updated 2023