 |
Commentary
Try a Vegetarian Barbeque
By Jennifer K. Reilly, R.D.
This letter ran May 14, 2007 in The Caledonian-Record News.
To the Editor:
Summer is near, and many people are dreaming of weekend barbecues—but is grilling meat really healthy? A new study in the journal Epidemiology found that women who regularly eat smoked or barbecued meats may double their risk of breast cancer.
Researchers examined 1,508 women with breast cancer and 1,556 healthy women and found that postmenopausal women with the highest consumption of grilled or barbecued and smoked meat throughout their lifetime had a 47 percent increased risk of breast cancer. Women in this group who also had a low intake of fruits and vegetables had a 74 percent increased breast cancer risk. The increased risk of disease may be due to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic amines—carcinogens that form in or on the surface of meat that is grilled or cooked at a high temperature.
More and more studies are linking the consumption of red, processed, and grilled meats to breast and other forms of cancer. But barbecuing can be healthy and fun: Soy-based burgers and hot dogs, veggie brochettes and kebobs, and portabella mushroom "steaks" are low-fat, cholesterol-free, and don't produce detectable carcinogens when grilled. This summer, try a vegetarian barbecue with these meatless options—and don't forget the fruits and vegetables.
Sincerely,
Jennifer K. Reilly, R.D.
Jennifer K. Reilly is a senior nutritionist for The Cancer Project.
|
|
