More than two barbecues per week would be harmful to health. In question ? The parts blackened by the flames would be carcinogenic. The culprits are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic amino acids. Quesaco? Two molecules that appear at high temperature when food is in direct contact with fire. Both turn out to be toxic molecules when you breathe them (along with heavy smoke) and when you eat them.
Well, let it be said:the idea is not to ban the barbecue but to know how to use it to limit the risks. This method of cooking is nevertheless very healthy when done well! First, the height of the food is very important. Meat or vegetables should be cooked by the heat of the embers and not the flames. Hence the usefulness of preparing your barbecue beforehand to have “good embers”. In terms of height, this is equivalent to about ten centimeters above the embers. Then, for the charcoal, it is better to take a so-called “purified” charcoal with a minimum of 85% carbon. And for the choice of meats, it is necessary to favor lean meats or fish, that is to say with little fat or from which the fat has been removed beforehand. He is responsible:in contact with fire, he chars the food. And of course, we put on slow cooking.
A little tip:marinating meat with beer further reduces the risk of the formation of carcinogenic substances. To be tested!
