Is Highly Cooked Meat Linked
to Prostate Cancer?
African American men have the highest rate
of prostate cancer in the world. Part of the problem, according
to researchers at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, might
be the result of eating too much meat cooked with high heat.
One potential culprit, they believe, is a group of chemicals
called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) that develop in meat that
is cooked at high temperatures over direct heat. Early research
shows that consuming HCAs may elevate prostate-specific antigen
(PSA), which is associated with prostate cancer.
To learn more, researchers from the Markstein Cancer Education
and Prevention Services at Alta Bates Summit (partnering
with UCSF and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) conducted
a study of the eating habits of African American men. They
surveyed 702 African American men between the ages of 40
and 70 who had no history of prostate cancer, and asked them
about their diet over the previous year. The men shared information
about their typical food portions, including how often they
ate meat and how it was cooked.
One study, published in the journal Prostate
Cancer and Prostatic Diseases, reveals that African American men consume twice
the amount of HCAs as do their Caucasian counterparts. Chicken
appears to have the highest levels of HCAs among all the
meats that were assessed, and African American men eat more
chicken than do other groups of men, hence increasing their
exposure to HCAs.
“We think there are many causes of prostate cancer,
and potentially this is one of them,” explains Leslie
Paine, M.O.T., O.T.R., manager of the Markstein Services. “So
many of the African American men who participated in this
study knew someone who had been touched by prostate cancer.
Many were participating because they want to help change
that.”
Barbecuing, which blackens meat, also creates cancer-causing
carcinogens. But research done by Alta Bates Summit and others
has shown that when chicken, beef, lamb, or fish is cooked
so that it maintains a high, sustained internal temperature — whether
it be barbecued, fried, grilled, or broiled — HCAs can
form. “Many of the study participants said, ‘My
mother always told me to cook the food to death’ to
make it safe to eat,” Leslie says. “This cooking
method has been passed down, so it’s a cultural issue,
as well.”
Another interesting finding: The researchers found that cruciferous
vegetables, such as broccoli, can block the effects of HCAs,
but only if they are eaten two days prior to eating HCA–laden
meat. The study also showed that adding moisture to meat
reduces the formation of HCAs, so it’s a good idea
to marinate meat prior to cooking it.
Savor Food for Life
Gone are the days when healthy eating meant subsisting on
celery sticks and rice cakes. Imagine serving your family
and friends fennel and butternut squash tagine, little bowls
of spicy aji amarillo mote (chile and hominy) soup, and,
for a glorious end to the meal, cardamom poached pear with
coconut sorbet. As everyone raves about your culinary skills,
you can smile slyly, knowing that the meal is more than just
tasty — it’s healthy too.
These are just some of the dishes that Stephanie Beine, a
chef at Millennium in San Francisco, teaches people to prepare
in her Food for Life Cooking Class series, held in collaboration
with Alta Bates Summit. “There’s a strong link
between diet and disease prevention, and that’s very
powerful,” says Stephanie, who is a registered dietician
and received her culinary training at the Natural Gourmet
Institute for Food and Health in New York. “To me,
eating healthy is more powerful than waiting until you have
the heart disease or diabetes or cancer, and then doing something
about it.”
Millennium is known for its creative vegetarian fare, and
Stephanie loves introducing people to the healthful ingredients
she uses. “There are hundreds of fruits and vegetables,
and dozens of different whole grains and beans,” she
says. “If you have imagination, you can create some
really tasty dishes that are healthy. In the classes, people
get excited about trying new foods and cooking in the kitchen — which
is something that a lot of people don’t do anymore.”
Food for Life is sponsored by The Cancer Project, which promotes
cancer prevention and survival through nutrition education,
and Whole Foods Market, which donates the food. Classes cover
topics ranging from low-fat cooking to immune-boosting foods
to replacing meat in the diet.
Stephanie’s classes are held at the Alta Bates Summit
Cardiac Rehabilitation Center at 3030 Telegraph Ave. in Berkeley.
For class descriptions and schedules, call (510) 869-6737.
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Ingredients
14 oz. cooked fresh salmon or 1 can (14 oz.) red
salmon, well drained, bones and skin removed
1 cup diced celery
¼ cup minced white onion
1 jar (2 oz.) chopped pimentos, drained
2 to 3 tbsp. reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp. minced fresh chives
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh dill
¾ tsp. paprika
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tsp. capers
Whole wheat pita bread, cut into wedges (optional)
Cooking Instructions
In a medium-size bowl, mix the salmon with the celery,
onion, and pimentos.
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice,
chives, dill, paprika, and black pepper; add the
ingredients to the salmon mixture, and stir to blend.
Top with the capers, and serve immediately with the
pita wedges, if desired.
Makes
6 servings.Per serving: 140 calories,
9 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 14 g protein, 341 mg
sodium, 2 g carbs. Recipe courtesy of the American
Institute for Cancer Research. |
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For the Quinoa
½ cup quinoa, rinsed very well and drained
¼ tsp. salt
¾ cup boiling water
Combine the quinoa and salt with the boiling water
in a small saucepan. Cover and reduce the heat to
a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until the water
is absorbed. Remove from the heat, and allow the
quinoa to steam, covered, for 10 more minutes. Remove
the lid and fluff. Transfer to a bowl, and cool before
adding to the salad.
For the Dressing
2 tbsp. agave nectar
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
Salt to taste
Whisk together the agave nectar, mustard, and rice
vinegar. Season the dressing with salt. Adjust the
ingredients to suit your taste.
For the Spinach and Fruit
3 cups (6 oz.) fresh spinach, washed and drained
well
Slices of seasonal fresh fruit such as apricots,
nectarines, apples, or pears.
To Assemble the Salad
Combine the quinoa, spinach, and fruit in a bowl.
Toss well with the dressing.
* Quinoa is a seed that can be found in the grain
section of most grocery stores. It is high in complex
carbohydrates and protein. |
