Medically reviewed in October 2021
Firing up the grill this weekend? Keep your choice meats on the healthy side with this cooking philosophy: low and slow.
Slow cooking meat at a lower temperature is better for your health. It may take a little longer, but the reward is fewer body-aging by-products.
Douse the flames
When cooked at high heat, meat proteins can form cell-damaging, inflammation-promoting oxidants. And getting too much of these oxidants, called advanced glycation end products (AGEs), may actually shorten life span, according to early-stage animal studies. Researchers think certain aging genes may be turned off or on in the absence or presence of these AGEs.
Better barbecue
Regardless of how you cook, make sure you practice food-safety habits, and heat meat to the right internal temperature, so you can avoid food poisoning. And to add color, flavor and a range of healthy nutrients to your plate, consider grilling fruits and vegetables alongside your main course.
