Preventing "the big C" - Part 2

In my last blog post, I introduced Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) – compounds that promote inflammation and can influence cancer formation.  I also contrasted some common foods that vary in AGE content.  By favoring lower-AGE foods and deemphasizing higher-AGE foods, we can greatly reduce our overall AGE intake.  Check out the next two strategies to decrease AGEs in your diet!

2. Favor cooking methods that lessen AGE formation

The cooking method you use independently affects the AGE content.  Dry cooking methods (grilling, baking, roasting, frying) increase AGE compounds, whereas moist heat cooking methods (boiling, steaming, poaching, braising, stewing) significantly reduce the AGE content of the same food.  For example, if you choose to grill a beef patty until all the pink hue is gone, the AGE content of the “well done” burger would be almost 7,000 (in units of kU per 90 g).  However, if you choose to stew beef in a Crock Pot with water or broth, the AGE content would be about 2,000 (kU/90 g) in the finished food – over a 70% reduction, just by cooking with moist heat!  The same principle applies to vegetables – fresh or steamed veggies will have a lower AGE concentration than grilled or roasted vegetables, particularly if blackened.

You can probably guess which ear of corn is the highest in AGE compounds!

This past week, my husband and I vacationed at Smith Mountain Lake and our cabin had a charcoal grill.  One evening, our dinner menu included turkey burgers, corn-on-the-cob, and swiss chard.  Because I knew my husband was cooking the corn on the grill (dry heat), I chose to boil my turkey burger (moist heat) instead of having my husband grill it.  This helped reduce the overall AGE content of the meal, rather than eating both grilled turkey and grilled corn.

I usually keep a box of turkey burgers by Applegate Organics in our freezer for “low prep dinner nights”. They are available at The Fresh Market and Whole Foods and are a filling compliment to lunch or dinner!

Keeping food prep easy, delicious, and low in AGEs with steamed rainbow swiss chard, grilled corn-on-the-cob, and a boiled organic turkey burger – ready to eat in only about 15 minutes!

Let’s face it, summertime is traditionally associated with cookouts, barbecues, and roasting marshmallows.  If you are wanting to decrease your AGE intake without feeling socially disconnected, consider saving the grill for special occasions, such as 4th of July, instead of everyday food preparation during the summertime months.

3. Incorporate liquids to limit AGE production

If you will be using a dry cooking method, not all hope is lost (in terms of AGE formation)!  Simply marinading food in an acid or liquid, such as lemon juice, vinegar, wine, tomato juice, etc. prior to cooking will naturally inhibit AGE formation, as opposed to not using marinade or liquid ahead of time.  Top with spices that appeal to you for your own created concoction.  Some of my favorite “go to” seasonings include: dried chives, cilantro, dill, turmeric, mustard seed, nutritional yeast, coarse black pepper, or sea salt.

My husband’s salmon marinade consisted of Italian dressing and dill.

A bird’s eye view of my dinner plate: steamed zucchini with dried chives and sea salt, grilled wild-caught salmon with dill, and baked sweet potato topped with apple butter. It was very easy!

In my next post on cancer prevention, I’ll review several other factors that can compliment a cancer prevention lifestyle, so stay tuned!

Reference:

Uribarri, Jaime et al. (2010). Advanced Glycation End Products in Foods and a Practical Guide to Their Reduction in the Diet. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 110(6), 911-916.