What’s wrong with burnt food?

We often hear about the effects of carcinogens from charred or burnt food, and the relationship between carcinogens and cancer. So if you’re wondering if eating burnt food causes cancer, keep reading…

I can tell you two things for sure:

1. Charred food has less nutritional value and calorific value than un-burnt food

2. Charred food contains more carcinogens

Imagine a piece of food, any kind. If you eat it fresh and uncooked you get the full benefit of its nutritional and calorific value, plus the base load of natural carcinogens.

But not everyone eats everything raw, some foods just aren’t safe raw, and some don’t taste any good raw, and those are compelling reasons for cooking.

Now think of cooking that piece of food, any way you like, but keep on cooking it until it starts to smoke and turn black, on the way to a piece of food-shaped charcoal.

Don’t stop there, even if you are one that doesn’t mind the odd piece of blackened toast before rushing for the bus. Keep the heat on and watch that imaginary piece of food reduce to a dry pile of ash.

The same happens to any organic matter; a plant, a piece of wood, a vegetable, or a fillet of steak. Heat it for long enough, without allowing it to catch fire, and it will blacken, progress to charcoal, and then reduce to ash. Ash is the end of the line for organic material; no moisture, no volatile constituents, and no more calorific value left.

So, on the one extreme we have raw food and on the other we have ash. It becomes intuitive that the cooking part in between simply cannot add anything to the food in terms of value.

But cooking does add carcinogens; different types of carcinogens, and it does increase the concentrations of carcinogens in food. 

Carcinogens are a range of substances, organic and inorganic, that are directly involved in causing cancer.

The list of substances “carcinogenic to humans” is ominously long.

It’s important to realize that not all carcinogens are man-made. They occur frequently and naturally in the environment; like sunlight shines on your skin. Too much can kill. So there are natural and unnatural carcinogens in the air we breathe, in our soils, and in the water we drink or need to irrigate our crops.

Therefore, carcinogens come with the food we eat, either as natural or unnatural components of the food, or as contaminants on the food. 

The fact is; many foods, no matter how organically they are claimed to be produced, or no matter how diligently they are washed after harvest, or carefully transported and stored, cannot be claimed to be free of carcinogens - unless they are tested to prove otherwise. In other words, it’s common to find small amounts of carcinogens in foods. 

Once parts of your meal start to smoke and get black bits you are in the business of making carcinogens. If you don’t remove that meal from heat immediately your burnt food will continue to form more carcinogens and accumulate them in higher concentrations.

At the same time, you’re destroying the last of your food’s nutritional value and its calorific value.

Sounds like a double whammy to your health, if not your risk of cancer.

Risk minimization

Here are seven tips to reduce your intake of burnt food toxins:

1. Reduce the base load of carcinogens in your food by selecting types of food that are less prone to contain carcinogens and environmental contaminants

2. Cook with steam as often as possible, and cook quickly

3. Avoid smoked foods including ham, bacon, salmon etc.

4. Avoid using excessive heat during roasting, grilling, toasting, frying etc.

5. Remove your meal from heat as it reaches a light golden brown colour rather than waiting until it's black - burnt food!

6. Use clean appliances because burnt on food will contribute to the overall carcinogen load

7. Avoid char-grilled or otherwise heat-blackened meals and, while you are at it, avoid inhaling fumes from burnt food or the smoke from burning food

8. If you must salvage accidentally burnt food; excise, cut out, remove, or scrape off all visibly blackened bits before you eat it - otherwise keep on overcooking it – you may qualify it for an exhibit at the Museum of Burnt Food!

So-called "bad food" that's actually great for your waist

If you've been avoiding burgers, ice cream, and pizza thinking you're doing your waistline a favor, don't. They can actually help you lose weight -- and keep it off, too. Here are the hidden slim-down perks of four foods that get a bad rap and the best way to add each one back into your diet.

Red meat

Even burgers and meatballs can be light fare if you make them with ground sirloin, says Bonnie Gluck, M.S., R.D., a clinical dietitian at New York Methodist Hospital in New York City. "Lean red meat -- lean being the operative word -- is a great choice for women who are trying to shed pounds," she says. "It's an excellent source of protein. And protein takes longer to digest, helping you feel full and cutting the likelihood that you'll snack later on."

A study of 100 women from Australian researchers found that overweight women who ate reduced-calorie diets rich in protein from red meat and dairy lost more weight than those whose reduced-calorie plans had little meat and more carbs. "Protein can reduce hunger," says study author Manny Noakes, Ph.D., associate professor with the Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organization (Australia's national science agency) in Adelaide. And being less hungry while you're trying to lose weight can prevent overeating.

Best way to enjoy it: Choose ground beef labeled "97 percent lean" or "extralean," which means it has less than five grams of fat per serving. Want steak? Get lower-fat cuts from the loin, like sirloin tip, T-bone, or strip steak, Gluck says.

Watch out for: Beef that's labeled Prime. "It's very high in fat," Gluck says. Buy cuts graded Choice; the meat has less fat and still tastes good. And remember to limit your portion size, no matter how lean the meat. "Many restaurants will serve an eight-ounce steak or burger, which means you're getting twice the amount you actually need," says Dave Grotto, R.D., author of "101 Foods That Could Save Your Life." Stick to a three-ounce serving (roughly the size of a deck of cards).

Ice cream

Good news for ice cream lovers: A recent Swedish study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that women who have at least one serving of full-fat dairy products a day gain less weight than women who don't. Researchers aren't entirely sure why, but it's believed that a compound in milk fat called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) may aid weight loss. Health.com: Top 5 foods for women

Not all studies support the dairy-aids-weight-loss claim. But Gluck feels there's more evidence for than against, even if full-fat dairy's secret is simply that it's more satisfying. "Many women find that low-fat versions of dairy products like ice cream and cheese just aren't satisfying," she says, "so they may eat a lot of them -- downing hundreds of calories in the process, trying to fulfill their craving -- when just a little bit of the full-fat stuff would have done the trick."

Best way to enjoy it: Have a little cheese, ice cream, or a glass of milk each day. "You really can't go wrong with that," Gluck says. "Dairy should be part of your diet, whether you're trying to shed pounds or not. You need the calcium to maintain strong bones. And the vitamin D and CLA in milk both have cancer-fighting properties."

Watch out for: Fat intake. Remember that full-fat dairy products do contain saturated fat, Gluck says, so it's best to limit yourself to two servings daily -- and to make your third serving a low-fat or skim choice.

Eggs

After years of being barred from the average American diet, things are looking sunny-side up for eggs. According to a study from Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, overweight women who eat egg breakfasts lose twice as much weight as women who start their days with bagels. Researchers say the protein in eggs increases satiety and decreases hunger, helping women eat fewer calories throughout the day. "Eggs are a perfect protein source because they have all eight essential amino acids," Grotto says. "And recent research debunks the idea that they have adverse effects on the heart."

Best way to enjoy them: Try 'em for breakfast. This is the ideal time for getting the proven fill-you-up benefits the rest of the day. Besides, it takes only a couple of minutes to scramble an egg. Work a hard- or soft-boiled egg into lunch, too, by adding it to a spinach salad. Or make an omelet or veggie frittata with two to three egg whites to every one yolk to keep the calories low (whites have just 16 calories, while whole eggs have 72 each). Health.com: Reconsidering the egg

Watch out for: Eggs served at restaurants. Even an egg-white omelet is likely to be fried in butter or oil unless you ask that it be prepared with cooking spray. And like pizza, beware of any egg dish that's smothered in cheese. If you're craving more flavor, add some herbs or salsa.

Pizza

You already know you can enjoy some mozzarella on your favorite pie and still drop pounds. But there are other ways you can make that slice even healthier. To hike the diet-friendly fiber, choose a whole-wheat crust and top your pizza with veggies like peppers, artichokes, and broccoli. "Like protein, fiber is digested slowly and helps keep you feeling full, longer," Gluck says.

Even better? By sticking with healthful toppings like veggies and lean protein (grilled chicken is a good choice), a medium slice will set you back only 200 to 250 calories.

Best way to enjoy it: Choose whole-wheat varieties. You can make your own or try a frozen one, like DiGiorno, Boboli, South Beach, or Amy's. If you're ordering in or dining out, get a thin-crust pie (it's typically lower in calories and fat than thicker versions); try selections available at Pizza Hut and California Pizza Kitchen.

Watch out for: Additional oil and fat. Avoid any pie that's deep-dish (that means the crust is cooked in oil) or loaded with sausage and pepperoni, Gluck says. And while a bit of cheese is fine, a whole lot is not. Skip the extra cheese.