Hey there, foodies! Grilling outside is a great option when you’re tired of cooking
over your kitchen stove. Whether you live way up North or down in Southern California,
the barbeque set up in your backyard never gets boring.
Cooking a steak or a juicy burger requires some useful tips that can make your grilling experience
a safer one. In today's video, let’s dive deeper into some of those quick tips and tricks.
Why is your pick of protein important? Do sides matter? We’re talking all that and more….
1. Pick the perfect protein
If you’re grilling, try to pick healthier protein options like skinless chicken breast,
fish, and lean ground poultry. Fish like salmon
and trout contain omega-3 fatty acids that are excellent for a healthy heart.
What's your favorite grilled protein? How do you make it?
Sound off in the comments below and stay connected with our Bestie community...
Substituting red meat with healthier options can go a long way.
A little experiment and great grill skill can make your guests forget all about that red meat.
This is healthier for them, as there won’t be as much saturated fat.
You can grill meat any time of the year, whether it’s a hot summer, or cold gloomy winter. There
can never be a bad time for setting up your rotisserie. It’s a great idea to keep rotating
those proteins and hit all the protein groups. 2. Choose your meat cuts wisely
When you shop for meat, try going for loins or round cuts of pork over red. Also,
buying a select grade of beef rather than prime can lower the fat content and improve your health.
3. Meat skin matters
Chicken skin can add to the taste. When you shop for chicken, try choosing chicken breast cuts
without the skin. Skinless chicken breasts have less fat content than legs and thighs.
While that crispy fried skin tastes great, your heart can handle only a limited amount of fat.
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4. Size your portions correctly
It goes without question that eating the right portions can improve your health. So what’s the
right portion? Between 3 to 6 ounces of any meat is considered a healthy portion. While you may
think that’s too small, those tasty veggies that come along with your meat will keep you full.
5. Marinate meat in alcohol
Getting the meat drunk before cooking is a simple but effective way to grill well.
Did you know that marinating beef in wine for six hours before grilling can decrease
the amount of carcinogens by almost half? If you don’t like wine, you can use beer as a substitute.
6. Color up your grill
Fruits and vegetables come in a variety of colors. Almost all of the colorful veggies and
fruits can be put on the grill. After cutting them into pieces for quick and even cooking,
brush them with some oil. This will prevent them from sticking, and give them amazing flavor and
taste. Trust me, you will forget meat after having grilled pineapple or roasted broccoli.
Try grilling fruits for dessert. Their natural sugar caramelizes upon heating. This makes
these fruits even more sweet and delicious. Fruits like pineapples, peaches, plums, figs,
pears, and bananas are good options. They can serve
a much healthier and low-calorie alternative to sugary desserts.
You can use a variety of veggies like mushrooms, zucchini, asparagus, avocado and corn.
Vegetables, being more solid than meat, are a perfect ingredient for grilling.
Doing this will enhance the flavor, similar to what it does for meat.
Just make sure you’re not overcooking them. Charring delicious veggies can
form a different type of carcinogen like benzopyrene, which can really hurt you.
Before we move ahead, here’s something that might interest you.
Here are 12 ways you’re cooking your vegetables wrong, and reducing your health benefits.
Now let’s get back to healthy tips for grilling.
7. Use a meat thermometer
Who doesn’t like chilling out with friends in the sun? Getting that tan while eating lip-smacking
grilled food is a fun way to reduce stress. But that “sear and roast” setup has its
share of hazards. Barbecues often consist of a variety of overheated and over-processed foods.
These foods can hurt your health by actively increasing your waistline.
It’s a known fact that cooking meat at very high temperatures can bring
on cancer-causing substances like polycyclic (poly-syke-lick) aromatic hydrocarbons, or
PAH’s, as well as heterocyclic amines (a-means), or HCA’s.
HCA’s are formed when amino acids are simply exposed to high temperatures.
PAHs are formed when fat and meat juice drip on the grill fire, causing smoke.
Cooking food at very high temperatures increases the risk of pancreatic, colorectal, stomach,
lung, and breast cancers. If cooked properly, you can enhance the nutritional value of food.
It’s important that meat is cooked at a perfect temperature.
It’s very easy to get carried away at a barbeque, but you need to remember this.
The meat should not be cooked beyond 325 degrees F. This is because HCAs start
to form. The key is to maintain balance so the meat is not over or undercooked.
Now if you’re cooking a juicy burger, do not cook the meat patty at more than 160 degrees F.
8. Marinate your meat
Marinating your meat can do wonders for it. Using marinades containing spices, rosemary,
thyme, sage, and garlic not only adds flavor to the meat,
but also reduces cancer-causing potential, as well as the amount of salt used.
A study found that marinating the meat with these spices can reduce the amount of HCA
formation. So give your meat a proper spa day with herbs and spices. All it takes is a
tablespoon of your favorite spice or about a half cup of marinade to give your meat a proper rub.
Be generous with the spices used. It will definitely change the way you grill.
Just make sure you don’t reuse the marinade. 9. That simple grill is good enough
When grilling, try and keep it simple. Don’t add unnecessary dressings and sauces to your grilled
meats and veggies post-cooking. It’s not harmful to add more flavors, but moderation is the key.
The sear in itself will be so delicious, you won’t require additional flavors. Use as few of these
condiments as possible, or use your own healthy alternatives. Sometimes, even a simple thing like
a lemon squeeze can work wonders. 10. Say goodbye to harmful fat
We know fatty foods are delicious, but your body doesn’t really need them.
Try removing excess fat from the meat. Let the fat drip away while cooking.
11. The sides matter
Try being more creative and use healthier homemade sides.
Regular barbeque staples like coleslaw, baked beans and fries contain harmful amounts of salt,
sugar and fat. Instead, try going for options like fruit salad or leafy greens.
If you’re looking for an alternative to chips, try having some carrots or broccoli as a side.
They’ll add some crunch to your plate, while also filling you up with nutrients.
12. Use whole wheat buns
The key to a good burger lies in the bun. Whole wheat buns are a great
alternative to the processed wheat bun. They contain more fiber and flavor. Higher
fiber content takes out the carcinogenic effect of meats and reduces constipation.
Multigrain buns are also popular among healthy nuts.
13. Flip your burgers more often
It may sound strange, but flipping your burgers more often can actually remove harmful bacteria,
and reduce the production of cancer-causing chemicals.
A study revealed that frequent flipping, along with heating the meat at a lower temperature,
can significantly reduce E. Coli bacteria. It also reduces the production of HCA’s.
14. Keep it clean
So this isn’t the fun part, but be sure to scrub down the rack or grill pan after you’re
done using it. Removing leftover pieces of food stuck to the grill prevents burning
and bitter flavors the next time you use it.
Start clean. Don’t let the charred buildup on your grill transfer to your meal. Use a
wire brush to give your grill a good cleaning. Then wipe it down with a cloth or paper towels
to make sure that no grill-cleaning bristles will get into your food or your guests' plates.
Practice safe grilling. Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood separate from vegetables and other
foods. Place grilled foods on clean plates. Not on the ones that held them when they were raw.
Celery can be a great crunchy side with your grilled food.
It’s awesome with or without dips. But are you one of those people who hate celery? Let’s
keep the conversation going with a couple more videos, shall we? Here’s what you need to know...
Check out “ what eating celery every day for a week will do to your body”.
You can also try “15 powerful health benefits of parsley you never knew about”.
Go ahead, click one. Or better yet, watch both, and learn more about how to become healthy.
Do you know any other super awesome grilling tips? Let us know in the comments below!