What's a feast without some mutton dishes to indulge! A char-grilled steak holds a special place in every meat-lover's heart. Combined with herbs, spices and other condiments, this chunky, juicy and meaty goodness is a delight to the palate. More than filling our appetite, a well-cooked meat satisfies our soul to the core. But, did you know grilled meat is not as good as it seems? A new study from the University of South Australia stated that caramelisation of meat on high flame could affect our health negatively. The study was conducted in collaboration with the Gyeongsang National University, South Korea. The findings were published in the journal Nutrients.
As per the study, the risks of heart-related diseases increase with consumption of seared red meat or processed meat. "When red meat is seared at high temperatures, such as grilling, roasting or frying, it creates compounds called advanced glycation end products - or AGEs - which when consumed, can accumulate in your body and interfere with normal cell functions," stated UniSA researcher Dr Permal Deo. These high-AGE foods may further lead to health issues like vascular and myocardial stiffening, inflammation and oxidative stress.
The researchers studied the impacts of two kinds of diets on human body. The first diet included red meat and processed meat; while the other diet was enriched with whole grains, dairy products, nuts, legumes, and white meat (made with steaming, boiling, stewing and poaching cooking methods). The results stated the diet that included red meat has more risks on health.
"The message is pretty clear: if we want to reduce heart disease risk, we need to cut back on how much red meat we eat or be more considered about how we cook it. Frying, grilling and searing may be the preferred cooking methods of top chefs, but this might not be the best choice for people looking to cut their risk of disease," stated co-researcher Professor Peter Clifton from UniSA.
The study further suggested that slow cooking can be a better option for preparing meal!