| Meat lovers have been told all too often that regularly | | | | HA's. |
| eating large quantities of red or processed meats ups | | | | In case you're wondering, the testers preferred the |
| your cancer risk factor. This is why so many of us are | | | | beer marinated steak for smell, taste and overall |
| trying to limit the amount of red meat we take in. | | | | appearance. |
| But if you love your steaks, is your only option banning | | | | Scientists have actually identified 17 different HAs that |
| them from your diet forever? Apparently not... | | | | come from the high temperature (350ºF or |
| New research appearing in New Scientist magazine | | | | higher) cooking of meats. |
| suggests that marinating steak in red wine or beer | | | | Of the four things that influence HA formation, (type of |
| might cut down the number of cancer causing agents | | | | food, cooking method, temperature and time), |
| produced when these meats are grilled or fried. | | | | temperature is most important. |
| The high temperatures associated with frying or grilling | | | | Other sources of protein (milk, eggs, tofu and organ |
| are known to change the natural sugars and amino | | | | meats) have very little or no HA naturally or when |
| acids in red meats into chemicals called heterocyclic | | | | cooked. |
| amines (HAs for short). | | | | Meats that were microwaved for 2 minutes before |
| Earlier work has shown that a marinade of olive oil, | | | | being cooked had a 90% decrease in HA content. |
| lemon juice and garlic cut HA levels in chicken by as | | | | Pouring off any liquid that comes during microwaving |
| much as 90%. | | | | causes the final concentration of HA to be reduced. |
| The Portuguese team from the University of Porto | | | | The way you like your meat cooked is also related to |
| conducted this latest study (also published in the | | | | cancer risk. |
| Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry) to look at | | | | Another study showed a link between eating cooked |
| the effectiveness of an alcohol-based marinade. Both | | | | meats and stomach cancer, but those who liked meat |
| beer and red wine were used in the research. | | | | medium well or well done were three times more likely |
| The researchers found that after 6 hours marinating in | | | | to have stomach cancer as those who preferred rare |
| either beer or wine, two types of HAs were | | | | or medium rare beef. |
| decreased by up to 90%, compared to unmarinated | | | | Cancers of the bowel, pancreatic and breast cancer |
| steaks. | | | | have also been associated with red meat. |
| Beer worked better on a third type of HA, and cut | | | | Of course cancer experts warn against thinking |
| levels of the substance in just four hours. Wine took 6 | | | | marinades provide protection from the cancer risk in |
| hours to achieve this same effect. | | | | red meat. |
| The team suspects that the key could be | | | | Eating less of these meats overall is a good way to |
| water-retaining sugars that are in the alcohol marinade. | | | | reduce your cancer risk factor, as well as being sure |
| These sugars, more abundant in beer than wine, keep | | | | that your diet also contains plenty of fruits, veggies and |
| water soluble molecules in the steak from moving to | | | | fiber while limiting the amount of red meat and alcohol |
| the surface where the high heat converts them into | | | | you take in. |