Elevate Your Health Colorado Great grilling: summertime cooking can be tasty – and healthy

As temperatures heat up, so do backyard barbecues. This summer, don’t settle for the same old high-fat foods. Instead, fire up the flavor and try these eight great grilling tips.

1. Select the right choice.

If your inner carnivore craves a cookout with juicy cuts of meat, be choosy. Kaiser Permanente registered dietitian Sue Heikkinen, RD, offers these tips:

• “Select” or “choice” meats usually have less fat than “prime” cuts.
• Loin cuts lean toward less fat, so look for sirloin or pork loin. Leaner cuts also reduce flare-ups, which can deposit potentially cancer-causing compounds on your meat.
• Try ground buffalo (bison) or turkey instead of beef for your next burger.

 2. Go fresh. Choose fresh meat, poultry, or fish over processed wursts and hot dogs. “When you start with fresh meats, you have more control over sodium content,” Heikkinen says.

3. Dial it down. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), cooking red meat, poultry, or seafood with the intense heat of a grill forms chemicals called HCAs (heterocyclic amines). HCAs may increase your risk of cancer. The AICR recommends cooking at lower temperatures “to substantially reduce HCA formation.” If you have a gas grill with a temperature gauge, try to keep the heat below 300 degrees F.

4. Make your own marinade.

Another answer to the threat of HCAs is the potential cancer-protective benefits of marinating. In fact, the AICR says studies show that marinating your meat reduces HCA formation by up to 96 percent. Combine oil (olive or canola) and acids (wine, vinegar or citrus juice) in a ı:2 ratio—then add herbs and spices. For example, you can make a basic Mediterranean marinade with one part oil, two parts white wine, plus rosemary and garlic. For a Mexican marinade, try one part oil, two parts lime juice, and a sprinkle of cumin and chili powder.

5. Tame your toppings.

On burgers, skip the cheese and opt for avocado as a healthier fat. Pass on the pickles and top your masterpiece with fresh tomato, cucumber, peppers, lettuce, or onion. For fish and chicken, dice up grilled mango and papaya to make a homespun salsa topping.

6. Grill more vegetables.

Firm vegetables like asparagus, peppers, corn, eggplant, or thick slices of onion can go right on the grill. Zucchini, tomatoes, or carrots can be wrapped in foil or grilled inside a vented basket. Grilled portobello mushrooms add a firm texture and savory flavor to any meal.

7. Go off the grid. Grilled fruit may be the tastiest untapped item on your backyard menu. Try grilling pineapple, peach, and banana kebabs on low heat until golden. “A drizzle of balsamic vinegar can really make the sweet flavor stand out,” Heikkinen suggests.

8. Partially precook.

Some vegetables, such as potatoes, are dense and tricky to fully cook on the grill. It’s OK to precook potatoes or even meat and poultry indoors, as long as they go straight to the grill. This also can reduce HCA exposure in meat, poultry, and fish.

Safety First

Stick to these food safety tips when grilling.

Do’s:

• Wash your hands before, during, and after food prep.
• Use different plates for uncooked and cooked foods.
• Cook ground beef to 160 degrees and poultry to 165 degrees internal temperature.

Don’ts

• Reuse your raw meat marinade over cooked meat.
• Thaw food at room temperature.
• Leave food out for more than two hours.

For more information on nutrition, please visit kp.org.