During the summer, if there is one thing that us Brits love, it is a good Summer barbie, in fact, many of us reach for the BBQ as soon as there is even the slightest hint of sun in the sky. The problem with most conventional BBQs however, is that most people offer up processed and fatty meats, along with calorific sauces and cheeses, that offer virtually no real nutritional benefits at all. Despite this however, if done correctly, barbequing is actually one of the healthiest methods of cooking in the world, for a whole variety of reasons. If you’re thinking of throwing a BBQ, here are a few reasons why barbequed foods are so healthy and beneficial.
You Consume Less Fat
One of the biggest benefits associated with barbeques, is the fact that you will consume far less fat, providing you choose the right foods, that is. You see, when cooking foods in a regular way, we often need to add extra oil/butter to help flavour the foods, and to help ensure that they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan/tray when they’re being cooked. With BBQs however, the intense heat sears the meat and prevents it from sticking, and as a result, no oil or fat is required. As if that wasn’t enough, any fats naturally present in the foods, will drip down the grates, onto the hot coals below, and help create smoke and flames that provide even more taste and succulence. When we fry foods, any fat that they secrete has nowhere to go, so the foods sit in the pan with their own fats, and subsequently reabsorb them.
Great For Your Gains
Let’s face it, when we think of summer BBQs, some of the first foods that immediately spring to mind are delicious cuts of meat, that not only taste great, but that are also packed full of proteins, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. All of which are ideal for anybody looking to increase their muscle mass. A BBQ provides a great opportunity to get some much-needed protein in and providing you barbecue the right foods, the protein that you receive will help feed your muscles, fuel them, and help initiate protein synthesis.
Barbequed Vegetables Benefits
Vegetables that have been cooked on the barbie, are actually considered to be much healthier than conventionally cooked veggies. When most people cook their veggies, they will boil them or bake them for far too long, which in turn, results in them losing a great deal of their nutrients. Whilst vegetables are packed full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients, all of which help nourish the body and strengthen the immune system, the longer they are cooked, the more nutrition they will lose. With barbeques however, as the heat is so intense, the veggies cook quickly, allowing them to retain far more of their nutrients than if they had been baked or boiled to death in the kitchen.
Barbequed Meats Benefits
As well as helping to ensure that vegetables are healthier, barbeques can also help ensure that meats are healthier as well, especially red meats. Not only is the fat content reduced, but red meats that have been cooked over intense heats will actually naturally retain far more of their natural vitamins and minerals. Meats rich in Thiamine and Riboflavin for example, retain more of these nutrients, making them much healthier. Riboflavin is a member of the B complex vitamin family, and it has been found to help strengthen the immune system, as well as helping to assist with natural energy production. Having adequate Riboflavin levels in the body is a great way of ensuring your metabolism remains as function as it should be. Thiamine, another member of the B complex family, is also found naturally in red meats, and it has been found to assist with energy production, whilst helping to enhance brain health and function. As your meats retain more nutrients when cooked quickly, barbequing them is a great way of ensuring you get the most out of them.
Barbequing Promotes a More Active Lifestyle
Another reason why barbequing is considered to be so healthy, is because of the fact that it promotes much more of an active lifestyle. When you grill outdoors, you are generally more active than if you were cooking in the kitchen, and if you do have guests over, this becomes even more relevant. Let’s face it, when at a barbeque, it’s rare that you see people sat down in the same spot for hours at a time, as, providing the weather is nice, they may stroll around the garden, kick a ball around, play with the kids, or play with the dog etc. Whilst hardly considered a taxing workout, this increased physical activity is still better than nothing.
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