7 TIPS FOR
Healthy Grilling
By Amy Campbell, MS, RD, LDN, CDE
OUTDOOR GRILLING (or barbecuing) is a favor-
ite summer pastime. And with summer right
around the corner, chances are grill masters
everywhere are itching to fire up the barbecue.
Whether you prefer charcoal or gas, grilling is
an easy way to get out of a hot kitchen. It can
also be a healthful way of cooking, too, if you
keep in mind the following pointers.1
Clean your grill safely.
A clean grill is important, especially since left-
over food can attract bugs and rodents. But what
you clean it with is probably even more important.
Skip the wire bristle brush. Those bristles can eas-
ily break off, end up in your food and make their
way into your stomach or intestines, causing some
serious damage.
Ditch the wire brush and, instead, choose
a coil brush, a wooden scraper or even some
crumpled-up aluminum foil for cleaning a dirty
grill grate.2
Marinate your meats.
Marinades are a great way to add flavor and
tenderize tougher cuts of meat. There’s another
reason to marinate: Doing so can lessen or prevent
the formation of heterocyclic amines (HCAs),
which are potentially cancer-causing substances.
HCAs have been linked with a higher risk of
breast, prostate, stomach, pancreas and colorectal
cancers. Studies show that marinating can reduce
carcinogen formation by more than 90 percent.
If you don’t have time to whip up your own
marinade, consider store-bought marinades
that contain herbs and spices, such as thyme,
oregano, red or black pepper, basil, parsley
and/or onion. These ingredients contain anti-
oxidants that may offer protection against HCA
formation. However, keep in mind that store-
bought marinades may have their fair share
of sugar and sodium, too, so always read the
Nutrition Facts label. Check out Supermarket
Smarts on page 64 for more marinating tips.3
Watch the fat.
Does your mouth water at the smell of a juicy
steak or burger blazing away on the grill? Savor
the smell, but go easy on the fat. Unfortunately,
higher-fat meats mean that fat can drip ontothe coals during cooking. When this happens,
dangerous substances called polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs) are formed. Not only can
these substances raise cancer risk, but they can
also increase the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes
as well as heart disease.
You can lower your risk of cancer, diabetes
and heart disease if you a) choose leaner cuts
of meat and trim away visible fat; trimming fat
also helps to avoid those dangerous flare-ups;
b) place a layer of foil or a metal pan between
the meat and the coals to catch drippings;
and c) scrape away any charred pieces of
meat. Also, don’t forget that chicken and
fish and other types of seafood are great on
the grill, too.4
Resist the rare.
OK, so you like your burgers or steak rare.
Realize, though, that the rarer you cook (or is it
uncook?) your meat, the higher your chances
of getting a nasty—and dangerous—case of
food poisoning.
Don’t go by the inside color of your meat
to determine if it’s done. Instead, have a meat
thermometer handy. Burgers and dogs should
be cooked to a minimum internal tempera-
ture of 160° F. Cook steak, fresh pork and fish
to a minimum internal temperature of 145° F
and chicken or turkey to 165° F.5
Focus on the veggies.
Of course you can grill your vegetables! Grill-
ing is a great way to switch up your usual method
of cooking them. Plus, it can save on clean up
(fewer pots and pans to wash). Even if you’re
not a vegetable lover, you might enjoy grilled
veggies, as grilling helps to bring out flavor. Plus,
vegetables are a lower-carb, lower-calorie way to
enjoy summertime cookouts. And go ahead and
enjoy grilled corn on the cob or tomatoes: The
heat from the coals actually boosts the activity of
healthful antioxidants and phytochemicals.
Pick up wooden or metal skewers and make
your own veggie-bobs: mushrooms, zucchini,
carrots, peppers and onions are great on the
grill. Brush them with a light coating of olive
oil, some balsamic vinegar and your favorite
seasoning. Alternate chunks of vegetableswith pieces of lean meat, chicken or shrimp on
the skewer. If you prefer less animal protein in
your diet, tofu, seitan and veggie burgers will
grill up just fine.
Try a grill basket for grilling smaller pieces of
vegetables, such as cherry tomatoes, pepper
strips, broccoli florets or slices of zucchini. Coat
them with a little bit of oil or salad dressing to
keep them moist during cooking.
Dig out your roll of tinfoil and use it to
make foil packets for cooking corn on the
cob, potatoes or sweet potatoes. Place the
cover on the grill and cook for about 10-15
minutes (take a peek midway through to see
how they’re doing).6
Enjoy some dessert.
Who said you can’t grill your dessert? OK,
ice cream is out, but there is plenty of fruit to
choose from. The heat from the grill will soften
and enhance the flavor of most fruits.
Try grilling peaches or nectarines, pineapple,
watermelon, cantaloupe, apples and bananas.
Skewers or a grill basket work well for pieces of
fruit. Otherwise, try putting slices of watermelon
or whole apples directly on the grill.
Don’t choose fruit that’s overripe because
the fruit may fall through the grill slats.
Lightly brush your fruit with a coating of oil,
such as safflower or grapeseed oil. If desired,
sprinkle with cinnamon or your favorite sweet-
ener—although the fruit may be sweet enough.7
Cut the carbs.
Carbs aren’t bad, but it’s easy to overdo them
if you like your burger or hot dog on a bun...along
with the usual potato or macaroni salad.
Instead of the same-old, same-old, try a
lower-carb whole-grain pita bread, sandwich
slims or even a tortilla.
Speaking of tortillas, why not try your hand
at fajitas? Marinate lean steak strips, pieces of
chicken or shrimp with your favorite marinade.
Cook directly on the grill. Choose your favorite
veggies, such as bell peppers and onions, and
cook them in a grill basket. Lightly grill your
tortillas (whole grain, of course) directly on
the grill. Then assemble your fajitas and top
Shu with salsa and a dollop of guacamole. Olé!^
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