Grilling Spices Provide Powerful Antioxidant Protection
By Better Health Research Team • Jul 22nd, 2010 • Category: Health E-Hint
Research conducted at Kansas State University (KSU) shows that exposing certain spices to heat through barbecuing, grilling, broiling or frying can help reduce harmful compounds in various meats. The spices were tested to evaluate their antioxidant activity when it comes to preventing the formation of cancer-causing compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs). These compounds form in cooked beef, pork and chicken.
Spices tested include cumin, coriander seeds, galangal, fingerroot, rosemary and turmeric. Of these, researchers noted that rosemary provided the most protection against HCA formation during grilling. Other studies examining rosemary extract show inhibition of HCA by 61 to 79 percent, and Thai spices can inhibit HCA formation by 40 to 43 percent.
“Cooked beef tends to develop more HCAs than other kinds of cooked meats such as pork and chicken,” said KSU food chemistry professor J. Scott Smith, Ph.D., in a press release. “Cooked beef patties appear to be the cooked meat with the highest mutagenic activity and may be the most important source of HCAs in the human diet.”
Try to incorporate some of these spices into your weekly menu for added protection from potentially harmful compounds. They can be used in rubs, marinades or basting sauces.
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