Does Barbecuing Cause Cancer?

One of the most disturbing reports I have read is that barbecuing may cause cancer. The theory behind this is that the smoke gets on the meat, and also inhaled when grilling causing humans to ingest cancer causing ancients. The meat burning itself and being ingested also signals that your barbecue may be giving you cancer, or at least be a risk factor for cancer in a world full of risk factors for cancer.

Several articles say that cutting off the fat, so that it doesn't drip down and cause excess smoke, as well cooking it before putting it on the barbecue and limiting excess smoke are ways to cut down the "risk" of ingesting cancer causing chemicals. However, the smoke, and fat, and burning of the meat is what flavors the meat in the first case and makes it taste so great! Basically several articles have said, there is no safe way to grill meat conventionally, which is a big bummer. How big is the risk? Much less then say, smoking, but it also depends on how much you grill.

When you grill meat it releases heterocyclic amines, heterocyclic amines or HCAs are the cancer causing agents that are the result of the burning of proteins in the meat you grill. The barbecue emits a lot of smoke as well, be it from charcoal or the meat burning. This is also a major risk factor for cancer, inhaling smoke of any kind is a risk factor for lung cancer.

So what does this mean for all of us that love to barbecue and grill out, well the least we can do is cut down on the grilling. It's not like many people do grill every night, especially in the winter months, but in the summer grilling does pick up for most people. In a world where there are so many risk factors to begin with for cancer, and other diseases, I simply would not worry too much about this and quit smoking instead. To stop grilling, or take any different safety measures while compromising the taste of your dinner is simply a ridiculous concept. It is a world where many things cause cancer, and HCAs have been known to cause cancer, but so have car exhaust fumes and 2nd hand cigarette smoke.

In conclusion, grilling or cooking food on the barbecue may cause cancer in human beings by releasing HCA's or heterocyclic amines, this is an incredible finding in itself.

Sources:
http://www.aphroditewomenshealth.com/news/20050530195004_health_news.shtml