Grilled food can be healthy --- or not --- depending on the type of food you choose and how you prepare it. Grilling is typically a low-fat, healthy way to cook, although you can easily reverse that with unhealthy choices. A seared steak swimming in sugary barbecue sauce is not going to be as healthy as that same steak grilled slowly after a dip in low-sodium teriyaki marinade.
Fat
Grilling gets the fat out of meats by letting it drizzle down onto the charcoal. Getting rid of the fat can drastically cut calories, although it can cause other problems. The Women Fitness website warns that grilling at an excessive temperature can transform the sizzling fat into a carcinogen that seeps back into your food through the rising smoke. Grilling at a lower temperature for a longer period and making sure you don't char your meat are two ways to reduce the carcinogen risk, the site adds.
Meat Considerations
Precooking your meat so it spends less time on the grill can reduce the carcinogen risk. Start off your dish in the microwave or oven, then finish it off with a quick toast for flavor or crispness on the grill. Opting for leaner cuts and skinless of meats also helps, because they start out with less fat that heats up and poses a risk. All meats have the carcinogen risk, including fish, but the risk does not extend to other foods cooked on the grill.
Flavor
Barbecue sauce can be a thrill for the grill, but it can also be a way to add unwanted calories or other ingredients. To keep your grilling healthy, opt for low-calorie sauces that add flavor without excessive amounts of sodium or sugar. Create your own healthy sauces by combining fruits, vegetables or spices. Ideas include nectarine-and-blackberry salsa, low-sodium soy sauce, tahini sauce and pepper or other spice rubs.
Considerations
Grilling can be healthy when it's on a grill that lets fat escape, which is usually not the case for fast-food hamburgers and other greasy foods prepared on a fat-saturated griddle. Fruits and vegetables work well on the grill, especially large slabs of onion, peppers, zucchini, eggplant and pineapple. Use a wire mesh basket so the slices don't fall through to the coals. Brushing the veggies with a very thin coat of olive oil adds flavor without adding unhealthy fat.
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