Be Careful… Those Grill Marks On Your Burgers Can Cause Cancer

The Washington Post announced that those grill marks on your burgers, chickens, dogs, and steaks can cause cancer.

According to The Washington Post:

"All the evidence surrounding the carcinogenic properties of meat cooked at high temperatures or over open flames, and it doesn’t look too good. Apparently, when any type of meat is cooked on a surface hot enough to cause browning, heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are formed. The longer the meat is cooked over high heat, the more of these groups of chemicals are formed. Enzymes in our bodies then interact with these chemicals, turning them into compounds that can damage DNA, leading to cancer."

Some techniques they suggest is marinating your meat first, cooking it in the microwave first and then placing it on the grill, also flipping it constantly so it doesn't brown. The browning is what is causing this issue and you want to try to avoid it at all costs. I know this seems like a lost cause because we all love those grill marks, but it is better than developing cancer.