A healthy barbecue - what you should know

How should you prepare a barbecue?

Barbecuefood is only seemingly associated with very-fatty and high-calorie food, served with a huge amount of various sauces and fattening toppings. In fact, it depends on us how we prepare barbecues. Thanks to a few simple tricks we can renderour meals diet-friendly and avoid making them the cause of extra kilos. Here are some valuable tips which will facilitate safe and healthy barbecues.

Wash and clean the grill thoroughly                                      

It seems logical, but not everyone approaches this conscientiously. Getting rid of the remains of rendered fat and charred dishes from previous grilling is not only important for hygiene reasons. Food residues on the grill are a source of various substances with harmful properties (including carcinogens). Make sure that the equipment is always properly prepared for the next feast, and thoroughly cleaned.

Use fire-safe products

Barbecuelighter, just like the charcoal itself, should be made only of natural and ecological materials (e.g. wood). This way we will be sure that there will be no risk of releasing various tar or other toxic compounds during combustion. It is absolutely necessary to avoid petroleum fuel, wood with chemicals (e.g. plywood or varnished boards), and printed paper. The vapours generated are the source of many substances hazardous to health, which can also change the taste of the food. It is also worth remembering not to barbecuedirectly over flames, but with embers - otherwise the products can quickly char and be “charged” with many carcinogens.

Grate or tray?

It is advisable tobarbecue dishes and products which do not need too much time directly on the barbecue. There is a possibility of melting too much fat onto the bottom, which, when in contact with fire, causes the formation of unhealthy substances. Fatty meat and vegetables are much-better prepared on aluminium, which ensuresthe free circulation of hot air. In addition, they prevent excessive leakage of the said fat.

Bank on self-prepared meat and vegetables

Many stores supply ready-made and marinated barbecue products. There is no guarantee, however, that the ingredients used in the marinade are not of poor quality (e.g. oil) and are not simply intended to mask the taste of not-entirely fresh meat. It is similar with vegetables. Therefore, buying “raw” products and hand-made marinades is a much better choice.

Homemade pickle is easy - all you need is a little olive oil and your favourite spices, which you should use generously in barbecue dishes. Especially because many of these have an extremely valuable effect on the body. Herbs like tarragon and marjoram can easily replace salt, black and cayenne pepper can be helpful in stimulating the digestive functions, and basil reduces the risk of flatulence. Spices are extremely valuable for people with a fragile stomach, who might react badly to barbecued foods. It is worth leaving the marinade for about a day, and the vegetables for several hours. Then the products will get saturated with the taste of the prepared mix of spices. Remember that before putting it on the barbecue,the food should be at room temperature - it will taste better and need much less time on the grill.

The dark side of the barbecue- a few words about harmful substances

Although meat loses almost 20% of its fat content during grilling, this method of preparing meals can be very risky for health. The effect of high temperatures (i.e. above 200°C) on proteins and fats contained in meat products promotes the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (e.g. benzo-α-pyrene) with proven carcinogenic properties. However, it should be remembered that the risk to health depends on frequency–the occasional barbecueshould not affect the condition of your body. If a holiday diet is based mainly on grilled dishes, there is a good chance of a health risk, e.g. the deterioration of the cardiovascular condition, disturbances in cholesterol levels, or gastrointestinal irregularities.

Fit BBQ recipes

For fans of healthy eating and a balanced diet, we have prepared an amazing recipe for a fit burger! An exactly defined macro, only healthy ingredients, and no unnecessary high-calorie additives. Check the link below, where you will find the precise way to prepare our burger - and be sure to let us know how it tasted!

Turkey burgers with baked sweet potatoes

Choose healthy substitutes for popular foods

On the surface, it mightseem difficult to prepare healthy substitutes for popular barbecued dishes. In fact, it takes very little to prepare extremely tasty and fat-free dishes which will satisfy many gourmets with their taste.

• Fatty meats in the form of bacon or sausages can be successfully replaced with chicken or turkey skewers, which, accompanied by vegetables and dried or fresh fruit, can turn out to be incredibly tasty
• Instead of mayonnaise, prepare a tzatziki sauce - all you need is natural yoghurt, grated cucumbers, a little lemon juice, and salt and pepper, to create an extremely tasty and refreshing sauce for meat
• Instead of ketchup, it’sbetter to use mustard.which contains mustard seeds, which aid digestion and reduce the feeling of heaviness. You can replace sugar-filled tomato sauce with a homemade salsa based on vegetables and aromatic spices.
• Alcohol is an indispensable addition to a barbecue, and flavoured beers with an enhanced content of sugar and carbohydrates are becoming an increasingly frequent choice.But in their place it’s much better to prepare homemade lemonade, which is equally refreshing.
• It is difficult to imagine a barbecue without includingbread, but remember that this is another dose of calories. Therefore, instead of an extra slice of bread, it is better to choose an additional portion of grilled vegetables, e.g. zucchini, peppers, eggplants, champignons,or tomatoes!