10 Ways You Can Keep Your Grilling Habit Healthy & Delicious
- 3 Minutes Read
- Jul 2, 2018
Why not start a new trend to help get America a little healthier? Learn some summer grilling techniques for healthy and tasty meals.
This month, we celebrate Independence Day. This is a great time to start a new trend toward helping America get healthier by introducing healthy grilling techniques to your barbequing routine. A typical response might be, "How can you have a traditional, patriotic celebration without grilling hamburgers and hot dogs?" OK, if you want to indulge in these foods occasionally, go for it. But, think about it. What happens when you have all those leftovers to consume over the following week, then you have other celebrations throughout the summer? Get my point? Also, you might grill foods as part of your everyday cooking. Why not mix in some healthier food choices and grilling techniques. You can then nosh on the healthier leftovers the rest of the week.
The following ten tips actually emphasize healthier grilling to lessen exposure to cancer-causing agents, called carcinogens. However, these tips will not only lower your cancer risk, but will also help trim the calories and lead to healthier eating as a bonus.
Did you know that grilling meats may increase cancer risk? Yes, chemicals, known as carcinogens (cancer-causing agents), such as HCA and PAH are formed when fatty meats come in contact with intense heat and flame. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) reports that "high consumption of well-done, fried, or barbecued meats is associated with an increased risk of colorectal, pancreatic, and prostate cancer." Not sure about you, but I know so many people who struggle with cancer! I am always interested in tips for lowering the risk of cancer for me and my loved ones!
We often assume that those eating our grilled foods are looking for a rich and traditional experience. Trust me, I have worked with people from all walks of life and know that many of us have reasons and a desire for healthy eating. Many people find it refreshing when healthier options are served from the grill!
Here are two super easy, salt-free dry rubs that are great on chicken, fish, pork, or sprinkled on vegetables.
Yield: 6 Tbsp
Yield: 4 Tbsp
Mix together herbs by shaking together in a sealed container. Use about 2 tsp of the mixture per pound of uncooked meat; 1 tsp per pound of chicken or fish. Sprinkle on vegetables after brushing them with olive oil. For maximum flavor, rub the seasoning mix on the uncooked meat, then place in a resealable plastic bag or covered container and refrigerate for 2 hours prior to grilling. Store unused herb mix in a tightly covered container, away from heat, for future use.
Anyone can copy these recipes from "Dietitian" in MyNetDiary. Login to MyNetDiary's web program, go to Community, and then search "Dietitian" with "People" chosen in the drop down box. Click on "Dietitian" link. Scroll down Dietitian Personal Page and find Custom Catalog. Find the recipe names. Copy recipe by clicking "copy" link on the right side of the screen. Once you do that, you can use that recipe in your own food log without having to enter it yourself. It is easy to search for that recipe if you use "from dietitian" in your name search thereafter.
If you have Maximum membership, you can copy and customize recipes or foods from other members. In web program, go to Food tab, tap "Log" in any meal row, then tap MyFoods, find the food or recipe and then choose "copy & customize" option. You can modify any field to fully customize the recipe (ingredients, yield, name, etc.).
Updated: March 26, 2019
Foods & Recipes->Red Meat Holidays / Parties->July 4th / Independence Day