(WKBN) – If you’re planning on firing up the grill this summer, it’s important to be careful of carcinogens.
Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic, explains that carcinogens are chemicals that can be released while grilling, which could lead to an increased risk for cancer.She says one way to help reduce your risk is to avoid processed meats – like hot dogs, sausages and bacon.Instead, she recommends choosing leaner meats like chicken breast, turkey breast, lean ground beef and select grade steaks.Another tip is to reduce the amount of grilling time.
“The longer that meat is exposed to the flame, the more chances we have to create some of those carcinogenic effects,” Zumpano said. “So, if you can precook some of the meat, like boil it a little bit and then finish it off on the grill, that will help. If you cut the meat into smaller pieces, like maybe do a meat and veggie skewer, that’ll help because you’re exposing it to the flame at a shorter time frame.”…