Now that I have done my due diligence as your Resident BBQ Nerd regarding last week’s article providing all www.ribbqnews.com Readers with Top-Notch Advice via Medical and Health and Wellness Experts to assist us all in the pursuit of “Getting Even More Healthy,” as we enter into a new year, Let’s Get Real! The professionals have weighed in, but what about “REAL TALK?” What advice and suggestions can we EASILY IMPLEMENT and ACTUALLY utilize in our daily lives? Some of last week’s recommendations are ideas that I have indeed implemented in my daily life, as exceedingly helpful tips! For example, “Eat Slowly, and Chew Every Bite, and Savor the Taste of Your Food,” is sage (and delicious!) advice and the extra “trick” of physically “putting down your fork in between each bite,” in point of fact does work and is guidance offered with regard to prudent future action! Additionally, setting a specific time to “Close Down the Kitchen,” in order to avoid eating empty calories after dinner is assuredly a “word to the wise” pointer!
Offering the following BBQ Data and Input can also help guide you on your journey to be a “Healthier You” in 2026, without having to curtail your ravenous BBQ cravings. To act with good judgement and wisdom, especially in practical matters by carefully considering potential health benefits is to make sensible and forward-thinking decisions. Healthier BBQ Grilling and Eating means choosing lean meats, using less sugary BBQ sauces and accoutrements, and adding a variety of vegetables to your BBQ plate, for starters. A BBQ Tip: Serve high-fiber foods as an appetizer or for your first course. Vegetable soup or boiled edamame help meet the body’s fiber intake. Fiber can help smooth the digestive process while consuming BBQ menus. Next, manage BBQ portion sizes: the ideal portion of meat to consume is approximately 170 grams of meat per meal. Choosing lean meats to BBQ such as chicken breasts or red meats labeled as “loin, choice, or select” are wholesome options. Red meats labeled “prime” are cuts of meat which tend to have a fairly high-fat content. BBQ grilling fish meat such as tilapia, salmon, gourami, and tuna contain omega-3 fatty acids which are great for brain and heart health. Another “important eating of grilled meats tip” to apply is to cut the meat prior to grilling. This step is helpful because this tip is known to make the meat cook faster, thus reducing the risk of the meat charring from being BBQ cooked too long. Furthermore, don’t “forget to soak or coat your meat evenly with marinade sauce before grilling to keep the texture of the meat tender; marinade sauce can be made by mixing lemon juice or vinegar with canola or safflower oil, and plain Greek yogurt,” suggests www.siloamhospitals.com
www.siloamhospitals.com continues, “The next BBQ eating tip is to not grill the meat or other BBQ dishes for too long. The specific reason is that food grilled at higher temperatures for too long can lead to the formation polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons—PAHs– and heterocyclic amines –HCAs. These two compounds are carcinogenic substances—carcinogens that can increase the risk of cancer cells in the body. More precisely, these PAH and HCA compounds can damage DNA structure, thereby also triggering mutations or changes in the body’s cells. Some ways to minimize the formation of carcinogenic substances in BBQ grilled food are:
- Do not grill or roast the meat for too long
- After taking the food- -meat, poultry or fish– out of the freezer, let the food sit first at room temperature until it thaws before cooking
- Marinate the meats with lemon juice or vinegar—Acidic ingredients are known to protect the meat surface from the formation of PAHs and HCAs
- Ensure that your BBQ grilling equipment is clean
- Flip the meat as often as possible while grilling it
- Remove the fat parts from the meat to avoid fat drips during grilling—those fat drips can produce smoke that can trigger the formation of PAHs and HCAs on the meat surface
- Serve fresh fruits such as apples, pears, pineapples and bananas—as dessert after your BBQ meal, or as a side-dish. These fruits can also be customized by grilling or caramelizing them to enhance their flavors—however, make sure not to grill the fruits too long, as this can reduce its nutrient content
- Drink PLENTY of water: Besides paying attention to consumption methods and cooking techniques, a BBQ eating tip that should not be missed is to ensure that you meet your body’s fluid needs by drinking enough water
***It is also important to avoid excessive consumption of sugary drinks, sodas, or alcoholic beverages during the BBQ meal because those drinks can cause dehydration and disrupt sleep.”
www.heart.org seconds the aforementioned “Healthy Grilling Tips,” and adds: “Grilling can be a flavorful and easy way to enjoy healthy food!” www.heart.org reiterates the advice to: “Choose a healthy protein; try using ground turkey to make turkey patties and mix in some minced mushrooms and onions for flavor and moisture. Choose 90% lean ground beef or 93%-95% extra-lean if available. Use seasonings, rubs and marinades with no sodium= or make a simple rub of your own with salt-free spices such as: all-spice, chile powder, cinnamon, cumin, garlic powder, paprika or rosemary and black pepper.” Moreover, “Adding Color-LOTS of color—to your BBQ menu is a terrific option. Many vegetables such as asparagus, avocado, bell peppers, onions, potatoes, corn-on-the-cob, eggplant, mushrooms, squash, and zucchini can be expertly prepared on the grill! Brush the vegetables of your choice with a ‘healthy oil’ and use skewers to make BBQ vegetable kebabs; be sure to soak wooden skewers in water for 10 minutes to prevent them from charring. An especially important note: do not drown your BBQ masterpiece in salty sauces, sugary condiments, or heavy dressings; sometimes a simple squeeze of lemon or lime provides just the right flavor finish! And; pairing your healthy grilled goods with whole grains is a perfect compliment to your BBQ foodstuffs while adding extra fiber, texture, and flavor to your BBQ dishes: try whole wheat buns and pita bread….or go ‘carb free’ and put some romaine lettuce leaves on the grill, too, to crisp them up and use them as a BBQ wrap!”
www.lilynicholsrdn.com offers an article full of knowledge entitled, “9 Tips for Healthier BBQ’d Meat,” where she states that, “Luckily, there are things that you can do to enjoy your BBQ and still avoid the ‘C’ word. And most of them make for an even more delicious feast! When meat is grilled or broiled at high temperatures, some amino acids- the smallest building blocks of proteins—are damaged, creating new compounds that have been linked to cancer…Proteins are fragile compounds and when they are damaged, your body has a much more difficult time dealing with them. The damage is worst when meat is blackened over open flames.” Alongside the previously mentioned tips for grilling healthier BBQ: Clean you grill, don’t blacken your meat, marinate your meat in something acidic or rich in vitamin C, skip the soda and sugary beverages, and “go easy on the booze!” Lily Nichols says: “Here’s what you can do to enjoy your meat while minimizing the not-so-good carcinogens: Season your BBQ with fresh or dried herbs- they are not only super tasty, but are packed full of antioxidants; think rosemary, thyme, oregano, parsley, basil, and cilantro. Choose fresh, organic and locally grown vegetables to add to your BBQ meal. Use pasture-raised or grass-fed finished meats—they contain healthier fats and more antioxidants.” Lily Nichols invites you to “grab my ebook –Your guide to making vegetables taste seriously good—my ebook teaches you how to make vegetables taste delicious. What are you waiting for-It’s FREE!”
“VEGGIES—Eat them because you want to, not because you have to.”
Let’s Be Real: No one in our BBQ community is foregoing BBQ’d DELICIOUSNESS…But with a few BBQ adaptable, minimal effort required “Tweaks,” adjustments and modifications, we can all enjoy healthier but just as temptingly tasty BBQ menus!
