How this dietitian enjoys summer grilling

Everyone loves to fire up the grill for a July 4^th cookout. How you grill and what you cook on the grill can be tasty, healthy and can even reduce your risk of developing some cancers.  You may have heard that certain foods cooked on the grill at high temperatures aren’t good for you but you may ignore the risk because you love to grill. Well, no need to stop grilling, “just make some smart grill moves in what you cook and how you cook,” says Alice Bender, a registered dietitian and head of nutrition programs at the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR).

First, let’s look at what is at the root of the health concern. The culprits include two chemicals produced when grilling meat. The first are chemicals called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) that are formed when meat is cooked at very high temperatures causing some the building blocks of protein (amino acids) to break down into HCAs. The other dangerous compound produced during grilling occurs when the fat from the meat hits the hot coals or gas grill lava rocks and causes flare-ups and smoke. The smoke contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Both of these compounds have the potential to alter DNA leading to increase cancer risk. The studies showing the changes are done in animals, and while the human research is only an association, not a cause, but why not make smart moves with grilling to reduce your risk?

First, what should you grill? The biggest culprit in forming HCAs comes from muscle meat, especially fatty cuts: steaks, burgers, chicken pieces with the skin, and ribs. So, consider leaner cuts of meat (flank steak, skinless chicken or turkey filets, and pork tenderloin) and try some new alternatives, like organic chicken sausages instead of the fatty brats. Other healthy grilling choices include fish, burgers made from soy or ground turkey or chicken breast, and kebabs made with smaller pieces of meat and plenty of vegetables.

The next strategy to reduce your risk is to change your grilling techniques.  All of the following will reduce the formation of HCAs and PAHs to reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals.

• Pre-cook meat in the oven and finish it on the grill; that translates to less grilling time but still gives the meat the grilled flavor
• Don’t eat the charred or blackened parts of grilled meat; cut those off and toss
• Marinate meat before grilling; marinades seem to provide a barrier between the flames and the meat
• Use lean cuts of meat and trim all fat
• Keep the drips to a minimum by using tongs instead of a fork that pierces the meat and leads to more grill flare ups
• Flip foods more often
• Grill at lower heat to avoid flare-ups which lead to charring and smoke formation

Now for some good news; grilling vegetables doesn’t produce  the chemicals that are formed in grilled meats; vegetables don’t contain a lot of protein and it is the protein in meat that interacts with the high heat and smoke to produce HCAs and PAHs. So, lighten up on the meat and load up the grill with veggies. Thick slices of veggies work well on the grill or toss smaller cuts of veggies in a grill basket and lightly baste with olive oil and fresh or dried herbs.  Try this Summer Grilled Balsamic Veggie recipe from AICR (and check out all of their healthy recipes) at http://www.aicr.org/health-e-recipes/2016/summer-grilled-balsamic-veggies.html

And, don’t forget that grilled fruit makes for a sweet ending to a meal. Grill slices of apple, pineapple, pears, or peaches and top with vanilla Greek yogurt and sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg.

For more information, take the AICR quiz on grilling and cancer risk at:

http://www.aicr.org/enews/2015/05-may/enews-truth-about-grilling-and-cancer.html

What this dieitian hopes we don’t see in 2016

This is the time of year when we look back with nostalgia on the year’s best happenings.  But, I am looking back on the year and hoping that we don’t have to revisit a few things in 2016. Here is what this dietitian hopes the New Year doesn’t bring.

Shaming researchers who choose to use industry dollars to fund a needed project. My colleague, Roseanne Rust, recently wrote about this in her insightful blog post (http://chewthefacts.com/when-did-awordfromyoursponsor-become-so-uncool/). As a faculty member with a 30-year tenure at a research university, I know that not all research can be funded by the government or a foundation. So researchers respond to requests for proposals (RFPs) from industry or seek out funds from businesses whose research questions align with what they are interested in studying. If I want to know if recovery drink X will help athletes after a hard workout, the maker of that recovery drink might be interested in funding my research. That does not mean that the industry influenced my research design, my recruitment of subjects, or, most importantly, the results. To listen to the anti-industry people, industry funded research favors the industry. You hardly ever hear about industry funded studies that did NOT favor the industry, but they exist (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/08/07/the-butter-industry-probably-regrets-paying-for-this-study-that-shows-butter-is-bad-for-you/). The worst is when a researcher’s reputation is called into question with comments such as, “we don’t know how much money went into his or her pocket from the industry funded study.” Let me tell you how much money goes into a researcher pocket…zero, zilch, nothing. When a university accepts funding for research (note I said the university, not the researcher) a faculty member might get released from teaching one course, be able to purchase much needed equipment for the university’s lab, or support graduate students with small stipends, tuition reimbursement and the opportunity to learn how to conduct research in an ethical and responsible manner. We need private-public partnerships to answer many research questions that would not get answered if private industry did not fund research. Instead of dismissing an industry funded study, look at the research design and then look at where it was published. Research doesn’t just appear in a journal; it has to get vetted (the peer review process) before it gets in print.

Silly slide shows that tout “5 foods to eat for perfect skin,” “10 foods to put your child to sleep,” “10 foods to avoid before boarding a plane,” “7 super foods to lose belly fat,” or “8 best foods for stronger nails.” These are all real headlines that popped up on my home page in the last couple of weeks. I know we have a short attention span, but offering these silly slide shows as news content is absurd. This is not evidence-based nutrition science, just something to fill space and most often promote someone’s bias or a product they happen to like.

Thinking that because the word “free” is placed behind a word that is healthy. This Jimmy Kimmel clips shows that people who use gluten-free foods for weight loss don’t even know what gluten is. (https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=jimmy+kimmel+gluten+free+youtube&view=detail&mid=491C3518D68C2D85B6A6491C3518D68C2D85B6A6&FORM=VIRE1). The best part is when he says “that some people don’t eat gluten because someone in their yoga class told them not to.” Every dietitian has experienced this moment, when friends or family start telling us about their latest diet secret, even though we know there is no scientific reason for it and that we know that this new diet won’t last more than a few weeks (or just enough time for a 10-pound weight loss that will be regained within the year.)

I hope things change for the better in 2016 and that we all get a little wiser this year.

 

 

Reasons to love dairy foods

Dairy foods are packed with nutrients needed by everyone. But, lately, I hear a lot of dairy bashing. Almond milk is trendy and whey protein powder is hot but neither of these offer the same benefits as consuming naturally nutrient rich dairy foods. For the record, almond milk has only a couple of grams of protein compared to 8 grams in an 8-ounce glass of milk. As for whey protein, milk has both whey and casein proteins and research shows that both of these proteins are important stimulators of muscle protein building. When I worked with athletes at a university we used low-fat chocolate milk as our recovery beverage. Some athletes thought it wasn’t as exciting as a whey protein shake. It might not be as exciting in the eyes of a young football player, but low-fat chocolate milk is a great recovery drink. We “deconstructed” chocolate milk (attached handout) to show them how good it was to help them recover after practice and games

For those of us over 50, we have even more reasons to eat dairy foods. Women between the ages of 51-70 and men over the age of 70 are at high risk for poor intakes of calcium, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements (http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/) and dairy food are excellent sources of calcium. Dairy foods also contain Vitamins D, B12, A, B-vitamins riboflavin and niacin, and the minerals potassium, and magnesium. As we age, we need more of some nutrients yet we need fewer calories. That is why I recommend dairy foods (I have no affiliation with the dairy industry and serve on no advisory boards or speaker’s bureaus….I just like dairy foods!)

One of the hottest research areas is protein intake and muscle building and maintenance. As we age we lose muscle mass and that is one reason so many of us lift weights to preserve precious muscle. But, weight training needs nutritional support and consuming protein throughout the day is more beneficial than eating one protein heavy meal a day (usually dinner is the protein-heavy meal). By adding dairy foods to breakfast and lunch protein gets spaced out to provide the maximal muscle protein stimulus. Aim for 20-30 grams of protein a each meal. Greek yogurt,  low-fat cottage cheese, and reduced fat mozzarella cheese are my favorite protein-rich “go to” foods.

Another “complaint” I hear from some folks is that milk has sugar, so it is best to avoid it. Milk contains lactose, a naturally occurring sugar but the food label doesn’t separate natural sugars from added sugars. And, if you are lactose-intolerant, it doesn’t mean you are dairy-intolerant. Yogurt, cottage cheese and most cheeses are low in lactose and can be consumed by many people who can’t drink milk.

So, celebrate June, National Dairy Month, by trying dairy foods for needed nutrients, quality protein and great taste.

Chocolate Milk Deconstructed