Yes, South Africans do love a good old braai and find several occasions to celebrate over “n stukkie vleis”, whether it’s watching a rugby or soccer match, a birthday party or just celebrating the weekend and warm weather. It’s not a uniquely South African thing but it is certainly a strong part of our national identity.
One might wonder though how good charred meat is for you and with cancer incidence on the rise and the recent scares around red and processed meat causing cancer, we may need to have a closer look at how healthy this is and if we need to say bye to the braai.
WHAT DOES THE SCIENCE SAY?
Research does in fact show that cooking meat at high temperatures can create chemicals that may increase cancer risk. Heterocyclic Amines (HCAs) and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are two of them and are formed during cooking of muscle meats such as beef, pork, fowl and fish due to a reaction between amino acids and creatine at high temperatures. High temperature cooking includes pan frying or grilling over an open flame, braai’ing and smoking meats. Research has shown that high consumption of well-done, fried or braai’ed meat increases risk of colorectal, prostate and pancreatic cancer.
It also isn’t new information that red and processed meat in itself may increase cancer risk as it has been part of the nutrition recommendations for cancer prevention as “Limit intake of red meat and avoid processed meat”, published in the Food, Nutrition and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective. In 2015, the International agency for research of cancer (IARC) announced that processed meat has been classified as a ‘definite’ cause of cancer and red meat is a ‘probable’ cause.
This doesn’t however mean that we should never eat red or processed meats again, besides there are other factors which have a far greater association to cancer, such as smoking or being obese. The emphasis rather is to not eat excessive amounts, particularly over a long period of time. Besides, meat can be a valuable source of nutrients such as protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12 so simply put, the key is moderation (as ever).
HEALTHY BRAAI TIPS
Knowledge is power and now that you know the risks that are involved, here’s some happier news with some surprisingly exciting and practical tips on how to make your braai healthier.
- Remember that meat, red meat in particular, is quite high in fat and cholesterol, so you should try to moderate your portion sizes always.
- You should restrict red meat to 2-3 times a week or so (this is a “rough guide” because expert opinion varies somewhat here).
- Marinate meat in beer. Doing this for about 4-6 hours has been found to significantly lower the cancer causing agents that develop. Darker beer was also found to be the most effective.
- Marinate meat in a mixture of vinegar, oil and spices. If you’d like to avoid marinating in alcohol then try this as an alternative. Some examples of ingredients that have been shown to be effective include olive oil, lemon juice, cider vinegar, teriyaki marinade, cherries, plums, apples, mustard, garlic, onions, black pepper, oregano and rosemary.
- Avoid thick, sugary marinades that may cause charring.
- Remove excess fat and choose leaner meats. It reduces the amount of PAHs produced as less fat means less smoke.
- Flip your meat and burgers often to prevent charring, it substantially reduces HCA formation.
- Avoid braa’ing processed meats such as cheese grillers, hot dogs or bacon.
- If you do choose processed meat, opt for those that are sourced from a local farmer that are uncured, 100% beef/chicken, and does not contain MSG, preservatives, artificial flavours and colouring.
- Rare to medium is best. Cook the meat as little as possible as the longer the cooking time and the higher the heat the more HCAs are produced.
- Keep the grill clean and scrape off all charred residue.
- Remove charred portions of meat before eating, including chicken skin.
- Choose smaller meat portions which will cook quicker, reducing the time spent exposed to high temperature.
- Braai vegetables. They do not cause harmful chemicals even when cooked at high temperatures. Try braai’ing zucchini, mushrooms, onion or asparagus, seasoned and brushed with olive oil.
- Pair your meat with an antioxidant-rich salad. Combat the harmful chemicals produced in the meat with powerful antioxidants by enjoying your meat with a fresh salad or steamed veggies. Remember the more variety and colour, the more antioxidants present.
You can enjoy a braai and eat healthily. Some smart choices and a bit of moderation will really help.
Some braai tip .. use coke to soften the meat before Marinating
We love to braai and prefer braai to roast. Definitely no Char and prefer steak rather medium to well done than well done and dry. The traditional potato salad normally does the trick otherwise it will be a nice noodle or greek salad. Bean salad with tomato pieces and banana tastes good and kids enjoy this.
Marinate meat the night before and shake off excess marinate before putting it on the grill so it doesn’t stick, or burn. Once you have cooked both sides you can baste with your sauces. For a great pork chop try marinating them overnight in crushed garlic, mustard, brown sugar, lemon juice and Aromat.
Instead of using a brush, use rosemary bush to brush chops or chicken with olive oil or marinade. Don’t bite your fingers
Matching Salads and desert will round it of beautifully, with good red wine.
By Neville G. Sykes
Thank you..this is very useful and I appreciate this 🙂 I will defiantly try the vinegar, oil, spices and the veggies on the braai.
I usually use the Ammienas tikka or tandoori spice (in a tub) and just add garlic, olive oil and plain yogurt. The sides would usually be garlic roll and green salad with some seasoning and olive oil
Wow, I’ve always known that too much red meat is not that healthy, but reading the article now, its kind off scary. Anyway, all of us has our unique way of a good braai. The meat must look good, smell good and taste good, doesn’t matter how we braai it. The healthy braai tips above has just changed all of that for me because over these years I just did the opposite. Even the part of braaing on hot a hot fire put a frown on my face.
Thank you again for the tips and also I always read and appreciate other comments as well. Happy braaing colleagues.
I use lemon juice, masala, vinegar and some tomato sauce to marinate my meat. I ensure that I cut off all excess fats, take off the skin of the chicken and rather braai with hot Coles. I try to braai all meats, Medium. There is always a fresh green salad, made up of all colour vegetables. I also have boiled potatoes with some garlic pure butter as an add on salad. Three bean salad is another winner. Charred meat is a big NO NO. Fruit salad/or fruits sticks are also very popular amongst the adults and kids
I will actually try the beer marinated meat next time.
This is an interesting article about braai’ing that nobody really takes into consideration. My son was diagnosed with brain cancer a few year ago and has been placed on a very strict diet, for special little persons like him. When we braai I always spice the meat well before the time and always trim off the extra bits of fat. The meat we most definitely eat medium, so I am at least glad that we doing somethings right. I also make sure that we have either a toss salad or spinach, fate, red onion and corn salad and potato salad on the side. Will most definitely follow the healthy steps given. Thanks Team for the Great story.
I am a vegetarian and I am still enjoying a braai even if there is no meat on the fire. When I put my big black mushrooms with garlic butter and cheese, aubergine and butternuts with olive oil and fresh herbs or a foil package with other veggies on the coals there are always a lot of jokes about it. But, when it is time to dish up, all these jokers are nearby and just want “a taste” of the veggies.
These days when I go to braai I take extra veggies so there is enough for the meat eaters.
Veggies on the braai are really tasty, healthy and definitely much cheaper than the steaks, chops and boerewors.
Also try the black mushrooms and aubergine on a burger as a healthy alternative to a meat patty.