Shine OnTips for healthier barbecuing
Firing up the grill is one of the rites of summer, but if you're not careful it can quickly put a dent in your health. Many of the marinades and rubs used in outdoor cooking are loaded with sodium and sugar, which can quickly pack on the calories and impact your overall health.
We recently spoke with David Marcus, the man behind David's Condiments to get his some of his tips for making your barbecue cooking healthier.
Cut the sodium
Inspired by family experiences, Marcus created his line of low-sodium and sodium-free gourmet condiments after finding there were few options out there for people on a low-sodium diet.
"It's not only people who have blood pressure issues or have gone through [heart] surgery," he says, "Moms are so focused on ingredients and the nutritionals and they don't want to give their kids products with a lot of sodium."
Health Canada recommends healthy adults daily sodium intake not exceed 1,500mg, and children 1,000-1,500 mg. Eating too much sodium over time can lead to high blood pressure, which contributes to cardiac diseases, strokes and kidney disease.
Grill less red meat
"To me, it's really about balance. I think that there is a tendency for people to barbecue a lot of red meats," says Marcus. "I think they need to mix it up a bit — do some fish. Add some chicken, and you know there's nothing wrong with steak or say lamb chops."
As Health Canada notes on the Canada's Food Guide, it doesn't take a lot of meat products to satisfy a person's nutritional needs. Knowing what a proper serving looks like can also help you make healthier choices.
Don't forget about food safety when it comes to cooking on the grill.
[See also: Barbecue mistakes to avoid]
Grill more veggies
Another great idea to make your barbecue healthier is to grill more veggies, says Marcus. Some of his favourites include corn, asparagus and Portobello mushrooms. He says one of the easiest ways to do this is with a barbecue basket, available at most major retail stores.
"It's sort of a basket with little holes, [it] makes it really easy, so you can do almost like a barbecue stir-fry but do it in that basket. Drizzle olive oil, a bit of balsamic vinegar, and a good seasoning. And it really looks good as well, because it gets some of that barbecue burn on it as well."
Try to include as many colours as possible, to help get the most nutritional bang for your food buck.
Adding a tossed salad to your main is another simple way to add more veggies to your diet.
Grill fruit
Marcus also suggests adding some fresh fruit to your grill as a great way to lighten up your summer barbecue. "It's a great digestive. There are some great ideas out there besides the fresh fruit platter. Cut up some watermelon, drizzle some olive oil and cut up some feta cheese, and that's so refreshing."
It's also a great way to get in those daily recommended 7-10 servings of fruits and vegetables.
"It's really about making more and more people aware about how they can live a healthier life and cook healthy."
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