Summer and good weather are coming, and with that: barbecues! On this occasion, I am giving you some tips to fully enjoy this little pleasure while eating healthily. !
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Favor less fatty meats
“A healthy barbecue requires healthy ingredients”. When it comes to meat, the secret to making a healthier barbecue is to replace the fatty meats usually used in barbecues with lean meats. This limits the flow of fats onto the fire, which limits the formation of toxic compounds.
Other advice regarding meats : pay attention to the quantity of red meat consumed during the week. Excessive consumption of meat, and particularly red and processed meat (cold meats, sausages, etc.) is associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease or cancer.
My advice : Choose the meats used for your barbecue better. Avoid red meats, chipolatas, merguez and other fatty and/or processed meats. Choose leaner meats as much as possible. Think, for example, of chicken or turkey meat, or even fish or seafood.
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Incorporate more vegetables into your barbecue
“Barbecue” meals are often rich in meats, possibly in starchy foods. Fruits and vegetables are often forgotten, which contributes to unbalancing our plate. However, fruits and vegetables deserve to bring a little lightness and freshness to the barbecue. Another advantage: they are rich in water and therefore particularly appreciated in summer or in times of extreme heat.
My advice : Make sure you always have vegetables on your plate, even when having a barbecue! Accompany grilled meats, for example with a good salad of raw vegetables with olive oil or even grilled vegetables. In this way, you will benefit from the vitamin bomb from vegetables and your meal will be much lighter and more balanced!
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Opt for skewers
A simple idea to integrate more vegetables into your grill is to opt for skewers! And yes, by adding peppers, onions, mushrooms or even tomatoes to your skewers, you can create a more balanced and healthier barbecue!
The other advantage is that you can use your imagination to make your skewers. No risk of getting bored!
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Watch the meat cooking!
Avoid charring food. This advice may seem obvious to you, yet important to clarify. Indeed, we now know that barbecue is harmful to health because it is a source of toxic substances, carcinogenic in the long term. These harmful substances develop with excessive heating of food; hence the importance of paying particular attention to cooking.
My advice : Prefer slow cooking and place food sufficiently far from the fire. Finally, always remove the blackened parts of foods before consuming them.
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Opt for marinades
Researchers at the University of Kansas have proven that soaking meat in a marinade (oil, vinegar, herbs, spices, etc.) reduces carcinogens in meat by 57 to 88%! It seems that this acts as a “barrier”. And if the marinade is generally quite fatty, you have nothing to fear for your figure since all the fat will melt on the barbecue, leaving only meat imbued with a taste of herbs and spices!
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Use herbs and spices
Herbs and spices not only have the advantage of seasoning our dishes and giving them different tastes and flavors, but also of being rich in antioxidants, very effective against toxic substances generated by barbecued meats. .
My advice : We don’t hesitate to use their many scents and colors!
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Take care of the grill
Last point for a healthy barbecue: the cooking plate. It is essential to take care of it as carcinogenic particles generated during cooking can accumulate on the plate, exposing you to more exposure.
My advice : Be sure to clean the grill thoroughly before each use, in order to remove the black residues (charred parts) that are richest in toxic substances.
A little advice from a dietician
Barbecue cooking can be part of a healthy and balanced diet. It can even be an asset in the event of a diet, to the extent that this cooking method does not require the addition of fat. In addition, during cooking, some of the fat from the meat is evacuated, helping to lighten the meal in terms of calories.
Enjoy your meal everybody !
