Food is essential for human living. You don’t just live without it. The food makes you energized, strong, and motivated.
That’s why food is a personal preference. A comforting substance for our lives.
On a Friday night, you chose to barbecue a sizzling, juicy, and flavorful steak as your dinner. However, it wouldn’t be perfect without a soda, snacks, and other foods.
Then, you have a perfect Friday dinner. Free from work and from your busy weekdays. But wait, there’s more.
There are times you don’t want to experience such a wonderful night alone. You chose to spend some time with your family, friends, or colleagues.
Oh, wait, it’s not yet a happy ever after. Do you know that this meal can be significantly damaging to your organs?
We know it’s deliciously fit for your Friday dinner. It is tempting, appealing, and aromatic. Little did you know, this barbecue may not be healthy at all.
We’ll discuss the ugly and harmful side of your number 1 meal, and how we can make it safe and healthy. Do note that one meal wouldn’t kill you, but eating it consistently will.
This article is about revealing the innocent meal that is more harmful than we think. Consequently, make healthier meal alternatives to enjoy your Friday nights to the fullest.
What is the Most Dangerous Meal Combo?
Before going to the healthiest advice, we must identify the most dangerous meal combo to intake.
This meal has better advertisements, presented with a tasteful feeling, and affordable prices. This is the typical meal that is combined with the following:
- Grilled, Processed Meat
- Sweet and Sticky Sauce
- Refined Bun
- Carbonated Soft Drink
Such a BBQ combo meal turns your appetite on. It makes you full and happy as well. But this combo is also a complete package for different harmful chemicals.
These compounds are dangerous to your health. The combo has all the dangerous chemicals present within it. Namely, PAHs, HCAs, AGEs, Nitrosamines, and other chemicals.
Imagine if you eat your favorite BBQ combo meal every day. You are also exposed to these harmful chemicals.
But first, let’s get to know these different chemical compounds. How harmful are these chemicals? Enough to trigger your organs.
Here’s what you should know about these chemical compounds found in the #1 Most Dangerous Meal
The Major Culprits of Making Your BBQ Meal as Dangerous
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Do you know there’s a compound that forms when the meat is barbecued over high heat? That’s the Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons or the PAHs. It forms from the meat’s smoke.
During your barbecue session, the fat is exposed to the open fire. The smoke it creates carries this chemical compound. The PAHs have eventually been absorbed into your meat.
The existence of the PAHs in your meat is visible on the blackened or charred parts of the meat. You can specifically see it on the fatty parts of your chicken skin, pork ribs, or beef brisket.
In a study, the PAHs compound is considered a pollutant to the environment, due to its DNA-damaging properties and carcinogenicity.
Consistent consumption of grilled meat is linked to certain risks, such as cardiovascular disease and different cancers. The same study proves that putting the meat directly into the open fire can increase the presence of PAHs.
It is essential to know that the consumption of grilled meat has different health risks associated with it. Consuming the BBQ meals consistently is not always the main cause of cardiovascular diseases or cancers.
It may be possible if the meat is not directly exposed to smoke, fire, and charcoal. Minimizing the presence of PAHs in the grilled meat lessens the chance of obtaining certain health risks.
There are ways to lessen the PAHs in your grilled meat. You may cut the fatty parts, grill it indirectly, or cover the meat with foil.
Another way to deal with PAHs is not to cook your barbecue as well-done or overcooked. Avoid eating the burnt parts of your grilled meat for your health.
Heterocyclic Amines (HCAs)
Another compound that makes your BBQ meal unhealthy is the Heterocyclic Amines. The Heterocyclic Amines, or the HCAs, are chemical compounds that are formed in the muscle parts of your chicken, pork, beef, and even fish meat.
The HCAs are formed when your meat is fried or grilled at a very high heat. This compound has formed due to the combined reaction of creatine, sugars, and amino acids when exposed to direct, high heat.
Unlike the PAHs, which are found in the fatty parts, the HCAs are the charred parts of the cooked meat that appear brownish in the muscle parts. Having marks on the sausages, chicken legs, pork ribs, or beef briskets.
Published studies reveal that HCAs tend to cause damage to your DNA when metabolized by the body. Higher intake of HCAs leads
to certain health risks such as prostate, breast, or colorectal cancers.
However, the consumption of HCAs in large amounts and the cooking style of the meat primarily contributed to these health risks.
It can be reduced when meat is marinated before it is cooked. Avoiding the meat from being charred and cooking it in lower temperatures helps lower the HCA formation in your favorite meat.
Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs)
Another culprit chemical compound that makes your meat unhealthy is the Advanced Glycation products. This is also known as AGEs.
AGEs happen as a result of the Maillard reaction. It is when the proteins or fats of the meat have reacted with the sugars present during the high-heat cooking methods.
These compounds have been proven in studies to produce negative consequences in your body. The consumption of AGEs causes inflammation and oxidative stress in you.
AGEs are also formed due to the direct, high-heat cooking temperature. Just like the first two chemical compounds, they appear on the intensely burned surface of the meat.
Several studies have shown that the excessive consumption of AGEs can lead to several health risks, such as insulin resistance (leading to diabetes), inflammation, and cardiovascular problems.
The consumption of the AGEs over time can lead to higher oxidative stress that may develop into a chronic disease.
The overconsumption of overcooked or burned BBQ meats can cause serious problems. It can be prevented when you decide to switch to on safe and healthy cooking method.
Other diseases associated with the AGEs are aging and neurodegenerative diseases that accelerate the deterioration of your body and the vital organs.
Marination before cooking the meat, reduction of heat temperatures, and considering the moist-heat method are the healthier ways to cook your meat.
Nitrosamines, Nitrates & Nitrites
The most visible culprit that makes your favorite BBQ meal dangerous is the Nitrosamines. It came as a product of the nitrate and nitrite contents.
The nitrite or nitrate contents are usually added to your processed meats. Bacon, curbed ribs, sausages, and many others.
These are added as essential ingredients for your processed meats. They are added for effective and long-lasting food preservation. They enhance the flavor, prevent bacterial growth, and protect from possible discoloration.
However, the nitrosamine compounds are formed as a chemical reaction to the higher, drier, and direct fire. Nitrosamines can also form within your body when the meat is ingested.
Nitrosamines are considered carcinogenic to animals. Several studies confirmed this chemical compound as the cause of cancer in animals. It may also cause gastrointestinal cancers in humans.
Researchers are still studying the negative consequences of consuming high amounts of nitrosamines on humans.
The small amounts of nitrites and nitrates are considered safe for human consumption. These are even present in the vegetables.
However, grilling the BBQ meat in high heat leads to higher nitrosamine compound formation. Another way to reduce the intake of nitrosamines is to avoid frying or grilling your favorite meat often.
4-Methylimidazole (4-MEI)
The role of 4-Methylimidazole also contributes to making your favorite meat the number 1 most dangerous meal. Also known as 4-MEI, it is a chemical compound also formed through the Maillard reaction.
The compound came from the caramelized sauce, mostly from cola or sugar, that is mixed during the marination process.
The 4-MEI is considered a byproduct of heat processing. Just like the first three chemical compounds, it appears to the meat as the burnt part of the meat.
Some animal studies have confirmed that 4-MEI is a potential carcinogen. The consumption of this compound in high amounts can lead to the formation of a tumor. Current studies are also analyzing the role of 4-MEI in the development of cancer in human cells.
The intake of 4-MEI can be reduced by not using much cola in the marination process. Moderate cooking temperature and avoiding the meat from being overcooked are also helpful in the reduction of the 4-MEI compound.
Other Culprits of Your Unhealthy BBQ Meal
These chemical compounds are also making your BBQ meal unhealthy and contributing to chronic diseases when consumed consistently:
Glyphosate or Herbicide Residues
These are the traces of chemical compounds found in your BBQ sauce. They can affect your gut health and intestinal barrier. Eating large amounts of glyphosate can lead to certain diseases, such as gastrointestinal inflammation and colorectal cancer.
Trans-Fats or Oxidized Lipids
These are chemical compounds found in the oil used for frying or grilling the BBQ meat. This chemical compound is present in the reused and heated oils. Over time, this compound is linked to organ stress, atherosclerosis, and inflammation.
Acrylamide
The chemical compound formed in the carbs that are cooked at high temperatures. It is a cancer-causing agent and a carcinogen to humans.
Phosphate Additives
These chemical compounds are found in the sauces and processed meats. They are linked to certain diseases, such as vascular calcification, burdened kidneys, and may promote aging acceleration in humans.
The Culprits’ Synergy & Cumulative Effects
These culprits, in the form of chemical compounds, are present in your BBQ meal as a finished product. It may be appealing in style, but it is health-damaging in value.
These culprits are formed simultaneously, especially during the high-heat process. We always thought before that nutrition could only survive the cooking process.
Now, science has proved us wrong.
Each of these chemical compounds is enough to damage your organs. To name a few, inflammation, oxidative stress, DNA damage, and organ failure. These compounds affect your gut health, age, and genetic factors.
More culprits are not included, but these chemical compounds mentioned are sufficient to prove that healthy cooking is not an option.
Here are the culprits we discussed that you should remember, and why they are dangerous to our health:
| Chemical Compounds | Presence in BBQ Meal | Harmful Effects |
| PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) | In the fatty parts, usually when the fat drips in the fire, the smoke sticks to the meat. | It damages your cells and causes cancer. |
| HCAs (Heterocyclic Amines) | In the burned parts of the meat, due to grilling or frying. | It is linked with several cancer types and has a DNA-damaging tendency. |
| AGEs (Advanced Glycation End Products) | The brownish parts of the meat, where the sauce was stuck. | It may cause inflammation, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. |
| Nitrosamines / Nitrates / Nitrites | Found in processed meats. | It can cause serious problems after ingestion, which increases the risk of developing cancer in your body. |
| 4-Methylimidazole (4-MEI) | Found in stuck sauces and the overcooked parts of meat. | Daily excess intake may lead to the development of cancer. |
| Glyphosate (Herbicide Residues) | Found in the BBQ sauce. | It affects your gut health and may lead to cancer. |
| Trans Fats / Oxidized Fats | In the used or heated oil used for frying or grilling the meat. | It causes bad cholesterol, clogged arteries, and cardiovascular problems. |
| Acrylamide | Found in your carbs, used as a combo for your BBQ meal. | It affects your nerves and is a leading factor in developing cancer. |
| Phosphate Additives | An add-on ingredient found in processed meat to retain its flavor and freshness. | It causes your bones to weaken and stress on the kidneys. |
When will your meal become dangerous?
Habitually eating the most dangerous meal can lead to life-threatening diseases. They cause a silent risk to your health and to your organs’ functions.
However, frequency of intake matters. It tells you about why you should not eat in excess or so little.
Always remember these three classifications when eating barbecue:
Threshold Matters
Eating barbecue occasionally is advisable. It can also challenge your body to detoxify the chemicals.
Cumulative Exposure
Eating barbecue repeatedly, including its combo inclusions, is the unhealthiest. This will make your body dependent on the chemicals present in the meal, which makes it challenging for your body to detoxify.
Confounders
If eating your barbecue combo meal is accompanied by poor diet management, obesity, pollution, and smoking. It expedites the chemical compounds to do further harm in your body.
Latest studies show that eating grilled red meat often and with consecutive patterns per week can lead to serious complications. Your body needs to intake red meat in a week. Eating more is not healthy anymore.
Consuming your favorite barbecue combo meal must be fewer and in separate times a week. Eat with moderation too.
How to Make Your Meal Healthier?
Do you want a healthier way to make sure that your barbecue meal is safe? Don’t worry. You can follow the tips below:
- Eat foods with fiber, probiotics, and antioxidants to support healthy gut health. Remember, most of your body’s diseases are caused by an unhealthy gut.
- Eat red or processed meat minimally. You may consume poultry, legumes, and fish to diversify your protein source.
- Cook in safer cookware. Do not cook in aluminum foil with acidic foods.
- Sticky sauces must be applied to the meat after cooking it.
- Marinate the meat with herbs. It will not just make your meat flavorful and well-odorized, but also healthy.
- When grilling the meat, use indirect heat. Hot air circulation assures that the inside of the meat is cooked, while the outside is never burned. This cooking method bears the same idea as an oven.
- Burnt crusts are not to be consumed. Discard them from your meat.
- Do not put certain additives, such as excess nitrates.
- Follow sanitary practices when you prepare your meal.
These techniques mitigate the harmful compounds found in your usual barbecue combo meal. Make the preparation healthier and natural. Don’t rely too much on what makes it so yummy.
Summary
Oh, well. You learned that your typical favorite barbecue steak with its combo is not just loaded with flavors. It is also loaded with several harmful compounds.
To name a few, PAHs, HCAs, AGEs, Nitrosamines, and other toxins are present in your barbecue. These compounds are not just negatively powerful. These are ingredients that are linked to certain diseases and body illnesses.
It’s not just one meal that affects you. It’s the habitual eating of your barbecue. Especially if you rely on what you buy in stores.
For healthier eating, take these smart steps for preparing your barbecue at home. You must prepare cleanly, grill smarter, and add the natural ingredients.
Smaller steps, but healthier results. Making your Friday night a rewarding or fulfilling moment of your life.
It helps mitigate the risk and protect your organs from possible sabotage caused by these harmful compounds.
Don’t consume your barbecue like a time bomb. Treat it like a medicine. Stay informed to keep your roasting sessions healthy.