How to Stay Heart Healthy During Summer Grilling Season

Nothing says summer quite like grilling in the backyard. Hamburgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob — all taste better when grilled to smoky, caramelized perfection.

That doesn’t mean you have to stash your grill in the garage all summer, of course. Just follow these heart-healthy cooking rules to stay safe this season.

You can also swap in leaner alternatives, like chicken and turkey, Dr. Landry says. Seafood is another great source of protein, he adds, since fish contains healthy fats called omega-3s, which are essential for heart health.

Whether they’re the main dish or a side, these vegetables are some great options:

• Portobello mushrooms
• Peppers
• Onions
• Squash
• Zucchini
• Corn

“Think of grilling season as equal parts vegetable, equal parts protein,” says Bethany Doerfler, RD, senior clinical research dietitian at the Digestive Health Institute at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago. “It's really important, in order to have a well-balanced, heart-healthy barbecue, that at least 50 percent of the offerings are plant-based.”

Or simply replace these traditional sides with healthier alternatives:

• Vegetable Salad Salads combine heart-healthy vegetables such as romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers into one delicious bowl. Just go easy on the dressing, opting for lighter versions over higher-fat ones. You can also use an olive oil-based dressing, which research has linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

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• Beans Beans are a great source of protein — plus, they have lower saturated fat and cholesterol than meat. Serve them with rice, mix them into a salad, or even make them into hummus.

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• Whole-Grain Bowls Whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, and sorghum are linked with a lower risk of heart disease.

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  Use them as the base for a bowl and mix in vegetables and heart-healthy seasonings like olive oil and garlic.

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Doerfler suggests making your own marinades at home with olive oil and a dash of lemon, orange, or lime juice, or natural vinegar. For more flavor, she says, you can add herbs or garlic.

Here are a few ways to minimize these chemicals:

• Grill more vegetables and fewer meats. HCAs only form when substances from meat — not vegetables — react to high cooking temperatures. And while PAHs can form from cooking any food at a high temperature, the meat that drips into the flames can produce even more PAHs.

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• Remove the charred portions. Char and black grill marks are a sign that your food may contain HCAs or PAHs. Removing charred parts of food before you eat can decrease your exposure to these chemicals.

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• Grill at lower temperatures. Charring usually happens when food is cooked at 300 degrees F or higher.

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  Luckily, Landry says, “You can actually grill at a lot lower temperatures than what people think.” Keeping your grill at a lower temperature can stop the release of harmful chemicals and help you protect your health.
• Don’t cook directly over the flames. Moving your food to the side while cooking can keep fat from dripping into the flames, reducing its exposure to high heat, Landry says. You can also cook on the grill’s second layer (if it has one), so the food is even further from the flame.
• Use a grill pan or foil. “You want to create a little bit of a buffer between the grill and the food,” says Doerfler. If you can’t reduce the temperature of your grill, these tools can help reduce your food’s exposure to the flames and minimize charring.

Remember: You don’t need to avoid the grill (or hamburgers or barbecue sauce) this summer. Rather, think of summer as an opportunity to cook healthy foods that can directly benefit your heart, says Doerfler.