Healthy Hint #33

Barbecuing in the great outdoors is fun, relaxing and brings people together. But it also means you have to be extra careful when you prepare food.

Some studies suggest that eating food charred by high-heat techniques, such as barbecuing, grilling, frying and broiling, may raise your risk for cancer. To make sure your cookout stays safe:

• Don’t leave meat or poultry cooking over a high-heat source, like an open flame or hot metal surface, for too long.
• Remove any visible fat that can cause flare-ups.
• Precook meat and poultry in the microwave before putting it on the grill; this releases some of the juices that can drop on coals.
• Keep turning meat or poultry over, so no one part gets burnt.
• Don’t eat charred pieces of meat or poultry.
• Throw out the gravy from meat drippings.

With these basic precautions, you can fire up that grill with peace of mind!