That concern is valid, but it s easily avoided by substituting skinless chicken and fish. The longer the cooking time and higher the temperature, the more these carcinogenic substances formed. Studies in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute have shown that people who frequently eat heavily browned or very well done meat are three to five times more likely to develop breast, colon and stomach cancer than those who eat it less often. Studies of rodents demonstrated that these HCAs are distributed to breast tissue and cause changes in a cell s genetic material. However, we don t have proof that this process occurs in people.
Researchers note that how people barbecue affects the risks.
For example, marinating meat or poultry even briefly before cooking reduces the amount of HCAs formed by about 96 percent. Partially pre-cooking meat for two minutes in the microwave just before grilling prevents 90 percent of the HCAs normally formed. Avoid the black char that often forms during grilling, since it is particularly concentrated in cancer-causing substances. Other carcinogens of concern come from the smoke. You can limit the meat s contact with smoke and decrease this risk if you raise the grill a little higher from the heat or choose leaner meats and trim all visible fat so it can t drip and cause smoking.