
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 10, 1994                   TAG: 9409270001
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

IT'S EASY TO MINIMIZE RISKS OF BARBECUING

You've probably heard that eating low-fat meals can improve your health and lower your risk for cancer and heart disease. With barbecuing, there's even more of a health reason to cut fat. When fat from meat drips onto hot charcoal or rocks in a gas or electric grill, carcinogens (substances that initiate cancer development) are formed and deposited onto food by the smoke that rises up and by flare-ups that char or blacken food.

Although you'd have to eat barbecued food at least once every day to be at high risk from these carcinogens, it's still worth minimizing health risks overall by taking the following steps:

Choose low-fat meats like lean beef, poultry, or fish instead of high-fat selections like ribs or hot dogs (best eaten only occasionally in small portions).

When preparing food for the grill, cut a substantial amount of fat by trimming it from all raw red meat and removing the skin from poultry.

Use marinades and basting sauces that don't contain fat or oil (such as juices, vinegars and mustard). Brush on thick or sweet sauces toward the end of cooking so they don't cause the outside of the food to burn.

To keep nonfat food from sticking to the grill, remove the grill rack and oil it or spray it with nonstick coating, then place it back on the grill and heat for a few minutes before putting the food on to cook.

Foods to be grilled should be at cool room temperature, because cold foods may burn on the outside and remain raw on the inside.

Avoid charring foods by grilling as many inches away from the coals as possible to avoid blackening. One useful technique is to partially cook meat, poultry and fish in the oven or microwave first (with the seasonings, sauce or marinade you prefer), then finish cooking on the grill for a few minutes for barbecue taste and aroma.

Round out your barbecue with nutritious side dishes that use plenty of vegetables and whole grains. Vegetables grilled on a skewer with a nonfat basting sauce or juice don't create any toxic substances. Try a fresh green salad with garden vegetables and low-fat dressing. Add a dessert of summer fruit - plain or cut up to make a salad - and your barbecue meal will be both healthful and delicious.

LEAN & TANGY BARBECUED BEEF KABOBS

SAVORY COUSCOUS

\ please see microfilm for recipes

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