When you think of BBQ, you probably picture chicken and burgers. While those are both delicious, there are many other things you can smoke to get a unique flavor. Barbecue is so much more than grilled hot dogs and hamburgers! When it’s done right, smoking the food can add a ton of flavor and create a meal that feels like an indulgent treat — not something healthy.
So what is bbq smoking exactly? It’s when you use smoke from burning wood chips, sawdust, or some other kind of wood as a flavoring for your meat. This gives it a slightly smoky taste and helps lock in moisture for better texture.
And there are ways to do this without buying an expensive smoker or making your own DIY version out of old soup cans! There are plenty of great options on the market if you want to start experimenting with different flavors.
Is BBQ Smoking Good For Health?
There’s something about the smell of smoked meat that just screams “summer.” There’s also something about the idea of eating smoked meat that is equally appealing. Barbecuing has a special place in our hearts and minds, especially during the summer months when it’s a great way to spend time with friends or family members.
It’s no surprise then that barbecues have become increasingly popular in recent years, especially here in the UK. What you may not know, however, is that barbecuing as a cooking method also happens to have some pretty amazing health benefits!
If you love barbecued food but are worried about the potential downsides to regularly eating it, rest easy. The good news is that many of those risks can be mitigated by switching up your methods a little bit — and even reversed entirely by simply smoking your own meats at home! Here are some of the awesome benefits of BBQ smoking…
Pros and Cons of Smoked Food
If you are still confused about whether you should cook your food in a pellet smoker or a regular one. Then, here are some pros and cons of smoked food. Check these out.
Pros
Below, you will find a list of the benefits of smoking your meat.
- First, and the best advantage of smoking your food is that you do not need to use extra oil or fat. If you had to fry your meat and vegetables, you would have to use some butter, sunflower oil, canola oil, etc. Many of these processed oils are unhealthy for human beings and may cause cardiac diseases as well as other diseases. In smoking, you do not need to use any oil, you just cook the meat in its natural fat.
- If you cook your food at a low temperature and higher time, there will be less oxidation and degradation of the vitamins and minerals present in the meat. That’s why smoking can retain the nutrition of your food while giving it a flavor at the same time.
- As the process of smoking is a low and slow process, hence there is not any chance of burning your food as compared to regular frying or cooking in a saucepan.
Cons
Although the smoking process cooks some delicious and smoky flavored food. However, if you are careless and make mistakes you might end up having health problems. Have a look at the possible health problems with smoked food.
- There are some kinds of fuels that contain potentially carcinogenic substances. Some of the woods and pellets contain carcinogenic compounds such as formaldehyde and benzopyrenes which may lead to serious health issues. However, this happens only when you overcook.
- There is also a factor that smoking damages the environment. Hence, always buy premium-grade wood and pellets.
How to Smoke Meat and Cheese in a Healthy Style? – 4 Steps
- Don’t Brine your food before smoking it. If you brine your meat a lot before smoking, it will contain a huge amount of sodium which is unhealthy.
- Always go for a low slow approach. Make sure to smoke your food at a consistent temperature for a long time.
- Always purchase lean cuts. Never go for the pieces of meat that have much fat.
- Marinate your meat properly every time. If you want the best taste in your meat, then marinate it properly in the first place.
The Health Benefits of Smoking Meat
If you’ve ever done some research on BBQ smoking, you’re likely to have come across the term “Hooking.” Hooking is the process of adding smoke to your meat as a way to add flavour. The smoke that is produced from the barbecuing process has a number of health benefits.
Smoke contains a number of volatile compounds that make it great for adding flavour to foods. The amount of smoke that you’d get from BBQ smoking is nowhere near enough to be dangerous, but it does have a serious impact on the flavour of the food. Some of the compounds found in smoke that give it this great flavour are:
– Carbon monoxide – This is present in all types of smoke. However, the level in BBQ smoking is usually so low that it doesn’t pose any danger to our health.
– Nitrogen – This is one of the most common compounds found in smoke. It’s most commonly associated with smog, but it doesn’t pose any danger to our health.
– Hydrogen – This is another compound that is usually found in smoke, and it’s usually in small amounts. Hydrogen is extremely flammable, which is why it’s often found in smoke.
Decrease in Cancer Risk
One of the biggest health risks that comes with eating BBQ food is the potential for developing cancer. Given that we’re regularly exposed to high levels of carbon monoxide when we’re BBQ cooking, it’s easy to see how this could pose a risk. Fortunately, the amount of carbon monoxide in BBQ smoke is often very low.
There are a couple of reasons for this. Firstly, you don’t actually want all of the smoke to make it onto your meat. You only want enough to flavour it, but not enough to make it toxic. Secondly, the meat that you’re cooking will absorb a lot of the smoke, which will reduce the amount of carbon monoxide that actually ends up inside of you. This means that the risk of developing cancer is actually very low.
Decrease in Chronic Disease Risk
Another potential health risk associated with BBQ cooking is the risk of developing a chronic disease, such as diabetes or heart disease. When you BBQ smoke, you’re using a variety of different types of wood to add flavour to the meat. This can be a great way to get some extra antioxidants and minerals into your diet, which can help to reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases.
There are a number of different types of wood that you can use to smoke your meat. Each type of wood will add its own flavour to the food, so it’s important to choose wisely. You can find a full list of the benefits of different types of wood below.
– Apple – Apple is a great choice if you want to reduce your risk of developing cancer. It’s also good for preventing diabetes and improving heart health.
– Cherry – Cherry can help to prevent cancer and diabetes, as well as helping to improve heart health.
– Hickory – Hickory is great for reducing the risk of heart disease, as well as helping to prevent diabetes.
– Maple – Maple is best for improving heart health, and it can also help you to reduce your risk of diabetes.
– Oak – Oak is great for improving heart health and reducing the risk of diabetes.
Increase in Vitamin Content
Another potential downside of BBQ smoking is that it will lead to a reduction in the amount of vitamin content in your meat. Fortunately, you can easily mitigate this by adding a marinade before you smoke your meat. This will help to add extra vitamin content, as well as making your meat taste great! There are a number of different types of marinades, each of which will have its own set of vitamins and minerals. Some of the more popular marinades include:
– Vinegar and honey – This marinade is great for adding extra antioxidants to your meat, as well as helping to prevent it from being dried out.
– Soy sauce – Soy sauce is great for adding extra sodium to your meat, which can help to improve hydration. It’s also packed full of antioxidants that can help to reduce your risk of developing cancer.
– Oil and Herbs – This is a great all-rounder, as it has a number of health benefits. It can help to reduce the risk of developing cancer, as well as helping to improve heart health. It can also help to improve your brain health and improve your hydration.
Decrease in Loss of Nutritional Content
Another potential downside of BBQ smoking is that it can lead to a reduction in the nutritional content of your meat. Fortunately, this is something that you can easily mitigate by adding a marinade before you smoke your meat.
This will help to add extra flavour, as well as helping to reduce the amount of reduction that occurs. As we’ve already discussed, marinades are a great way to add extra flavour to your meat, as well as extra vitamins and minerals. Some of the more popular marinades include:
– Vinegar and honey – This marinade is great for adding extra antioxidants to your meat, as well as helping to prevent it from being dried out.
– Soy sauce – Soy sauce is great for adding extra sodium to your meat, which can help to improve hydration. It’s also packed full of antioxidants that can help to reduce your risk of developing cancer.
– Oil and Herbs – As with the previous example, this is a great all-rounder, and it can help to reduce the risk of developing cancer, as well as helping to improve heart health. It can also help to improve your brain health and improve your hydration.
Conclusion
The health benefits of barbecuing are many and varied. It’s a great way to spend time with loved ones, and it’s also a great way to get some great tasting food.
There are a number of different risks associated with BBQ smoking that you can easily mitigate simply by adding a marinade before you smoke your meat. The health benefits of barbecuing are many and varied, and they’re definitely something to celebrate.