Hot temperatures in the process of frying and grilling cause sugar and amino acids to convert into cancerdefine-causing compounds leading to high levels of hetrocyclic amines (HA’s).
“If you are frying a steak and are mindful of your health, then marinate it in either beer or red wine,” researchers advised.
Isabel Ferreira and colleagues at the University of Potro in Portugal looked at the effects of beer and red wine marinades on fried steak. The food scientists measured the amounts of family of caricinogens found in fried steaks steeped in wine or beer. They discovered that meat in red wine cuts down the two HA compounds by 90 percent, especially if left to marinate for 6 hours.
For the third type of HA, beer works more efficiently in reducing levels in just 4 hours as compared to wine which requires a longer time. Dr Isabel believes beer contains more water-retaining sugars than wine that stopped molecules reaching the surface of the steak where they converted to HA’s. A report in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry stated that “Tasters also preferred the smell, taste and appearance of beer marinated steak.”
Previous research has revealed that besides beer and wine, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic used as marinades have 90 percent fewer HA’s. Red wine also reduced the chemicals in fried chicken.
Cooking meat on lower heat and for less duration prevents dangerous levels of HA formation. Researchers discovered 17 different HA’s as a result of cooking meat in high temperatures.
Another study highlighted a co-relation between eating fried, grilled and barbecued meat, and a spurt in bowel, pancreatic and breast cancer incidence. There is evidence that people who have a taste for medium well or well done meat have three times more chances of being inflicted with stomach cancer as opposed to those who eat rare or medium rare beef.
Dr Kate Arney, senior officer at Cancer Research UK, said that red and processed meat increased the risk of cancer. She added that “It may seem appetizing to marinate steak in beer or wine, but this will have minimal impact on the effect of the meat on your cancer risk, and the best way to reduce your risk of cancer from eating red and processed meat is to eat less of it over all.”
Details of the research were published in the New Scientist Magazine.
Post new comment