Rosemary contains active ingredients
that are potent antioxidants as well as anti-inflammatory agents. Rosemary has
long been known to improve concentration, boost memory, and lift depression.
Rosemary also strengthens the immune system, improves circulation,
stimulates digestion, and fights cancer, as well.
Rosemary is highly effective for
respiratory problems including asthma, chest congestion, and respiratory
infections. While rosemary adds a delicious savory flavor to meat dishes, it
also helps digestion by stimulating the gallbladder to release bile as well.
Rosemary will protect your body against harmful carcinogenic toxins and
prevents colon cancer, stomach, breast, and lung cancer.
Fun fact: If you're going to grill meats, marinating meats for
hours beforehand in liquid mixtures that contain rosemary and other
herbs/spices can dramatically help to reduce HCA's (heterocyclic amines), which
are carcinogenic compounds that can form when meats are grilled. So using
rosemary, thyme, garlic, oregano and other spices in a meat marinade before
grilling meats can drastically reduce any carcinogens that normally would form
on grilled meat.
The antioxidants in rosemary and
thyme from a marinade were specifically cited in studies at being powerful
inhibitors of HCA formation when grilling meats. But it was also noted
that other spices such as garlic, oregano, and others can help to prevent HCA
formation as well, so I suggest using a variety, which tastes great anyway!
One more
important point about grilling meat:
Remember that the more well-done a meat is cooked, the higher concentration of
carcinogenic HCA's can form, so rare, medium-rare, or medium are healthier
choices than well-done. I've never understood why anybody would want to ruin
a good steak by burning it to oblivion anyway. But hey, if you're one of
those folks that likes your steaks well-done, just remember that you're eating
a lot more carcinogens than a steak that's cooked less, so make sure to load up
on your antioxidants (spices, teas, berries, etc) to help combat those extra
carcinogens.
Washing down your barbequed meal
with a glass of unsweetened iced tea (rich in antioxidants) and also a good
salad with lots of raw veggies can provide the antioxidants needed to counteract
the effect of HCAs in your body from grilled meat.
By the way, even charring vegetables
on the grill creates different carcinogens such as acrylamides,
so don't think that the negative effect of charring only applies to meats.
No comments:
Post a Comment