Grill safe

Perhaps you’ve heard that regularly eating charred meat may increase your cancer risk. According to WebMD, when red meat, poultry, pork or fish is cooked over flames or at high temperature in a pan, it forms compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs), which have been linked to certain cancers. But you don’t have to give up grilling—it’s a safe way to cook if you limit your exposure to HCAs. Here’s how:

• Choose lean meats. Then cut off the visible fat to limit flare-ups that char the meat.

• Marinate: Using a combination of cider vinegar, olive oil and lemon juice can drastically reduce HCA formation.

• Spice it up: Likewise, rolling meat in tumeric or rosemary cuts HCA production.

• Microwave first: Put it in the microwave for two minutes before grilling, then pat the meat dry so less juice drips into the grill.

• Flip it: Do so about once every minute to help prevent HCAs from forming.