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Cranking up the heat on dinner could make your meal unsafe
Q:
I've heard foods cooked at high heat can cause heart disease. Is this true?
A:
Researchers believe
it is. When a food is
prepared at a very
high temperature, it can develop
advanced glycation end products
(AGEs), compounds that may
lead to cardiovascular disease,
finds a recent study in the journal
Diabetes Care. "Items that are
roasted, grilled at high heat,
broiled, or fried form more
AGEs, while those stewed or
steamed develop fewer," says
Jaime Uribarri, M.D., lead
researcher and a professor at
the Mount Sinai School of
Medicine in New York City.
Certain food groups are more
likely to produce AGEs: Those
that get most of their calories
from carbs (fruits, vegetables,
dairy products, and breads)
create the lowest levels, while
meats and fats (butter, nuts, and
oils) yield the highest. To reduce
AGE formation, Uribarri
recommends marinating meats
in salad dressing or wine, then
placing them in foil pouches
before grilling or roasting.
