Healthiest Way to Grill

From our new book: The World's Healthiest Foods, Essential Guide for the Healthiest Way of Eating

Grilled foods have a unique flavor and texture and are synonymous with summertime and cooking outdoors.

How to Grill:

• Grill on an area without a direct flame as the temperature directly above or below the flame can reach as high as 500°F to 1000°F (260-538°C).
• Be sure not to overcook or burn your food; this helps prevent the formation of toxic compounds.
• Marinate in a mixture that includes antioxidant-rich ingredients such as lemon, onions, rosemary or black pepper.
• If you choose to grill foods and use an oil to coat them, use an oil that has a high smoke point, such as avocado oil or high-oleic safflower oil, to lessen the amount of oxidative damage that will occur in the oil itself.

The principles of nutrient loss from charcoaled or gas-grilled foods are very similar to the principles of all cooking: the shorter the time of exposure to heat and the lower the heat, the less the nutrient loss.