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GET HEALTHY TRI-STATE: Several tips make backyard burgers better for you
Perfecting your barbecue skills can really pay off. Broil burgers to a crisp and the problem isn't just whether you have enough ketchup to salvage them. It's that too much heat for too long can cause compounds called heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) to form, and they've been linked to all sorts of cancers, including colon, breast, stomach, pancreatic and prostate.
True, stewing, boiling or baking spares you HAAs, but it's not very festive to invite friends over for a backyard boil-out, so here's how to make grilling healthier:
Marinate first. Some HAAs go packing if you marinate meat for at least 10 minutes before cooking. Try olive or canola oil, red wine vinegar, teriyaki sauce or citrus juices loaded with garlic, onion, herbs and spices -- especially rosemary, which some studies show helps reduce HAAs.
Then microwave. Nuke meats for 11/2 to 2 minutes before grilling and toss the drippings -- they contain the building blocks for HAAs.
Turn down the temp. If you've got an adjustable gas grill, set the temperature at 320 to 355 degrees Fahrenheit. Hotter than that invites HAAs. Keep an instant-read meat thermometer handy, and check burgers to make sure the middles reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit -- you don't want to risk serving up potentially deadly E. coli bacteria. Don't depend on looks (when it comes to burgers): Some undercooked meat looks brown, and some cooked meat remains pink, especially when you have low-fat patties that contain oat bran or soy protein.
Keep flipping. Flip your burgers every minute or so. They'll cook faster and you get fewer HAAs than if you flip 'em just once halfway through cooking.
The YOU Docs -- Mike Roizen and Mehmet Oz -- are authors of the best-selling "YOU: The Owner's Manual" and "YOU: On a Diet." To submit questions and find ways to grow younger and healthier, go to www.RealAge.com, the docs' online home.
