While charred meat and vegetables can be tasty, charred meat and fish are considered unhealthy because they produce compounds linked to an increased risk of cancer.  Over-charring can degrade heat-sensitive vitamins like vitamin C and some B vitamins and destroy antioxidants. Another risk is that charring can create blackened, carbonized areas on the surface of the food that may harbor potentially harmful bacteria. Besides the health risks, excessive charring can overpower other flavors and cause your food to taste burnt.