Health Benefits of Grilling Food
If you're a fan of grilled food, you're in luck. Aside from being tasty, it also has great health benefits.
Grilling food is not only a fun way to
cook, but it also comes with many health benefits. You can reduce your risk of
heart disease, cancer, and other chronic diseases. Vegetables and meat cooked
on the grill retain a lot of their nutrients. This is especially true for
low-water content vegetables.
Reduced Fat Content
To eat healthier, you should choose grilled
food rather than fried food. It is a no-brainer that frying results in a lot of
unwanted fat, leading to weight gain and various health conditions.
On the contrary, when food is grilled at
the right temperatures, the fat drips off the meat and keeps it soft, this
reduces calorie intake. This helps you to manage a healthy weight program and
keeps your cholesterol levels in check.
However, some chemicals like heterocyclic
amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs) are formed when red meat, poultry, and fish are cooked on
an open flame. To avoid these chemicals, choose lean cuts of meat and use grill
tongs or a spatula to flip food regularly.
Lower Calories
Grilling food is one of the healthier ways
to prepare meals. As mentioned above, grilling allows the fat content in the
food to drip down, allowing you to consume lower calories.
Moreover, grilling meat doesn't involve
using oil and sauces, contributing to lower calories. Unlike fried foods,
grilled meats are rich in nutrients and are a healthy option.
Vegetables, on the other hand, retain more
vitamins and minerals when they are grilled. This is especially true for
vegetables that have low water content.
Besides, grilled meats are higher in
riboflavin and thiamine, important nutrients for the body. In addition, grilled
meats are also lower in saturated fat.
Meats, including chicken and fish seasoned
with herbs or spices, can also help minimize the formation of carcinogens. For
a healthier meal, try thyme, rosemary, or garlic in your next marinade.
Less Smoke
Grilling food produces less smoke than
cooking it on the stove or oven. This is because the fat drips off the grill
and doesn't stay on the food.
You can reduce the amount of smoke produced
by grilling foods by choosing lean meats, removing excess fat, and using
marinades that don't contain high amounts of sugar or other ingredients known
to produce carcinogens.
More Nutrients
The grilling process enables food to retain
more vitamins and minerals. This is because the higher heat levels associated
with grilling cause a chemical reaction that leads to caramelization, which
releases vitamins and minerals due to protein and sugar transforming.
This is especially beneficial for
vegetables with low water content, like zucchini, cabbages, eggplants, and
lettuce, which tend to keep much of their nutrients when grilled. It also keeps
these vegetables fresh and in season, a step above the canned versions often
packed with preservatives.
Although the fat from the meat drips off
during the grilling process, the essential nutrients are retained on the
surface, ensuring it is a much healthier option when compared to fried food. Check out here to know more.
Better Taste
When grilled, fruits and vegetables
caramelize and give off an intense and delicious flavor that cannot be achieved
when cooked in the oven or boiling. This is called the Maillard reaction, which
makes foods like grilled meats taste so good.
However, food charred on the grill can be a
source of harmful heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs). This can increase your risk for cancer.
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