Tips for safe grilling

Studies reveal that boiling or grilling meats over too much heat creates chemicals, known as HCAs, that may be carcinogenic. I think it's a fair assumption that nobody wants their summer barbecue to be cancer-causing, so follow these safe cooking tips to reduce that risk:

Marinate your meats before grilling them. Studies have shown that marinating before grilling works very well to reduce the amount of potentially dangerous chemicals in meats.

Don't eat the charred parts. Simple enough, right? If the research is sound and charred meat may be carcinogenic, then an easy solution is to completely avoid any blackened portions while you feast on your beast.

Grill meats at a moderate temperature over embers, not fired-up coals. And flip your meats often, as this prevents charring and also kills bacteria.

Avoid meats that are high in fat, such as ribs or sausage, and remove skin from chicken. The added fat will drip into the flames below and cause smoke and flame flares.

For more ways to keep your summer grilling healthy, follow this link to the website for the American Institute for Cancer Research.