Eating barbecue may attract carcinogens, which can affect skin health after consumption, and is also a concern for many people. The real concern is the carcinogens and pro-inflammatory substances produced during charcoal grilling. How can we reduce the carcinogens or hazards in grilled meat products? Charcoal grilling can produce two types of carcinogens. Microwave ovens and electric ovens have much lower levels of carcinogens. During charcoal grilling, fats can produce polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon carcinogens, and proteins can produce heterocyclic amine carcinogens when overheated. As long as it is grilled over charcoal or open flame, it is difficult to avoid local overheating, and the production of carcinogens is inevitable. Even if it is not baked, but fried or pan fried, these two types of carcinogens can still be produced. Relatively speaking, if using a microwave or electric oven to grill meat, the content of carcinogens is much lower. Because the oven can control temperature, as long as the heating temperature of all parts of the ingredients is controlled below 200 ℃, the amount of carcinogens produced will be very small. Generally speaking, when the oven temperature is set to 200 ℃, as long as the cooked product is taken out in a timely manner, the actual heating temperature of the grilled meat will not reach 200 ℃, because the evaporation of water will cause the surface temperature of the meat to decrease, and the internal temperature of the meat will be lower. So, eating skewers baked in your own oven is still safe. However, many people just enjoy that bite and have to grill it with charcoal to find it delicious. They believe that the smoky flavor brought by the oil dripping on the charcoal fire and emitting green smoke is an important component of the delicious barbecue. The Maillard reaction of "looking beautiful and tasting delicious" can bring a series of troubles to the body. Barbecue and fried foods also produce many pro-inflammatory substances, which are very unfriendly to the skin and can promote acne, worsening various skin and mucosal inflammations. The reason why fried and grilled foods are so fragrant is because they undergo the "Maillard reaction", which produces many aromatic substances. However, if this reaction is strong, it can also produce a large amount of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Research has confirmed that the ranking of AGEs produced by different food cooking methods is: frying/grilling>; Oven baking>; Stewed and boiled>; Fresh food. For example, there are almost no AGEs in fresh chicken before cooking; But the content in roasted chicken has increased significantly, with more fried chicken, and the content of AGEs in roasted or fried chicken skin is super high. When these substances are excessive, they can cause a series of troubles to the body: inducing insulin resistance; Activate oxidase to generate free radicals; Promote inflammatory response; Inducing cell apoptosis; Reduce energy generation, etc. These effects will promote skin aging. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon carcinogens and heterocyclic amine carcinogens mentioned earlier are also pro-inflammatory substances themselves. The acrylamide substances produced in the Maillard reaction are also pro-inflammatory components, and with the addition of AGEs... the impact on physical health can be imagined. Previous studies have confirmed that the accumulation of AGEs in the skin is associated with human aging and even with the risk of various chronic diseases. For example, the risk of cardiovascular disease onset, vascular sclerosis indicators, complications of neurological diseases, osteoarthritis, etc. Many researchers have found that adding spices to meat can inhibit the formation of carcinogens during baking. In terms of production methods, the amount of carcinogens should be minimized while maintaining the flavor. The process of charcoal grilling or deep frying may be difficult to change, but the pickling method and ingredient composition of meat can be altered. Many researchers have previously found that adding spices to meat can partially inhibit the formation of excessive heterocyclic amine carcinogens during baking. The so-called spices include fresh spices such as onions, ginger, garlic, onions, fresh chili peppers, as well as dried spices such as Sichuan peppercorns, peppers, dried chili peppers, clove leaves, rosemary, fennel, cumin, etc. These spices have strong antioxidant properties, which can reduce the formation of carcinogens and their mutagenic effects; On the other hand, it can also help the human body increase the secretion of digestive fluids such as stomach acid and small intestine fluid, and improve digestion ability. A study has found that adding spices to beef patties can effectively reduce the production of heterocyclic amines after frying. Adding 1.5% Sichuan pepper, 1.5% dried chili, or 1% ginger can reduce the production of heterocyclic amines by 77%, 67%, and 67%, respectively. The effect of garlic and onion will be weaker, and they need to be added to 5% and 9% respectively to achieve a 61% and 48% inhibitory effect. Researchers have also explored the inhibitory effect of spices on the formation of heterocyclic amines in grilled beef patties, with ginger, bay leaves, and Sichuan peppercorns all showing good results. Foreign research has long found that adding spices such as rosemary and basil, and seasoning with garlic juice, ginger juice, etc., can help reduce the generation of carcinogens in grilled foods. In addition, restaurants can reduce the harm of pro-inflammatory substances by providing complementary foods. For example, when eating grilled meat, it is recommended that consumers wrap it with perilla leaves or lettuce leaves, pair it with lettuce salad, or squeeze tomato sauce or lemon juice on the grilled meat for seasoning, which can help reduce the impact of harmful substances. Here are five healthy dietary suggestions for those who love to eat barbecue: 1. Set a rule for yourself to only eat grilled skewers once or twice a month, and fried foods two or three times a month, instead of frequently serving them as supper or dinner food. 2. Try to reduce the amount of food eaten each time, for example, change the gluttonous habit of eating several skewers of grilled meat at once to only eating one skewer at a time to satisfy your craving and then stop. 3. Make food replacements. For example, replacing charcoal grilled food with food baked in an electric oven, and replacing fried meat with stewed meat. When eating barbecue and fried foods, try to pair them with foods and drinks rich in anti-inflammatory ingredients. Common anti-inflammatory ingredients include polyphenols, carotenoids, active polysaccharides, soluble dietary fiber, etc. For example, dark green and orange yellow vegetables, orange yellow and blue purple fruits, various mushrooms, fungus, mung bean soup, black bean soup, green tea, and chrysanthemum tea. 5. After eating these foods in one meal, it is recommended to eat light meals for the next day or two, eat less meat, avoid greasy foods, and consume more whole grains, mixed beans, and refreshing fruits and vegetables. A healthy diet does not mean completely fasting from delicious but unhealthy foods, but it requires controlling the quantity and frequency, and striving to reduce the impact of those foods on health through reasonable combinations. (New Press) Article/Fan Zhihong (Director of the Chinese Nutrition Society and Chief Expert in Science Communication of the China Association for Science and Technology)