Happy Friday to you all. I hope I still have a few with me and reading this important information on how to reduce your overall toxic burden.
Like with all toxins, the body naturally produces AGEs
You will always have a certain amount of AGEs within your body, as glycation is a common product of various body processes. As with many things, it is important to retain a level of homeostasis or balance. Therefore, it is key to recognize the factors that may contribute to excessive amounts of endogenous AGEs you may create.
One dietary factor that may impact your endogenous creation of AGEs is excess consumption of sugars especially higher levels of fructose. Although consuming some fruit or other healthy sources of natural sugar may not lead to much of an impact on your AGE creation, many of the foods commonly consumed in the typical Western diet is high in simple sugars, especially fructose. There are many reasons to avoid added sugars in your diet, especially these highly processed foods sweetened with fructose sources, and the potential creation of AGEs adds one more.
Plant-based foods may also help further reduce the impact of consuming foods with AGEs, thanks to some of their antioxidant and other beneficial properties. This effect helps counter the oxidative impact of AGEs and some of the other actions that lead to negative effects.
Studies have found that foods rich in phenolic acids may help inhibit the formation of AGEs, as does EGCG from green tea/matcha. Berries have also been shown to be neuroprotective by preventing AGE production in the brain. Pomegranite can provide anti-glycation effects as well.
Food categories naturally Lower in AGEs include:
- Fruits (low glycemic)
- Grains
- Legumes
- Vegetables
The best way to cook foods in the context of reducing AGEs include:
- Preparing with low heat
- Wet cooking
- Boiling, poaching, stewing, and steaming
- Limiting fat
- Complementing with antioxidants
- Preparing in acidic environments (e.g., marinades)
Maybe some of you are planning to BBQ this weekend? If so let´s see how we can reduce the toxic load upon our body, whilst enjoying a good grill.
TIPS FOR THE BBQ
Marinating not only tenderises poultry and creates depth of flavour, it slashes AGE formation in half. Soak your chicken in an acidic marinade for a least an hour. Choose acidic liquids with vibrant flavour profiles: lime/lemon juice, mustard, tamari sauce, vinegars, are all good choices. Pour the marinade off and blot the meat dry with a paper towel before grilling. It’s always a good idea to make extra marinade to use as a sauce, but be sure to discard what has been in contact with raw meat.
- KEEP YOUR GRILL CLEAN
A clean grill not only makes food taste better, it minimises AGEs. Remove charred pieces of food leftover from your last grilling session. Clean your grill every time you use it: Once hot, scrub it with a stiff brush. Coat a wadded-up piece of paper towel or half an onion with a heat-stable oil, such as avocado oil. Thoroughly coat the grill to prevent food from sticking. Using a clean grill basket can also keep your food from getting too hot, sticking and charring. - GRILL LOW AND SLOW
The next step in brain-friendly grilling is to know how to safely apply heat to the food. Because AGEs thrives in conditions of direct, high heat, make “low and slow” your new grilling mantra. Create a high heat zone and a low heat zone on your grill. Instead of placing foods directly over the hottest coals or close to the flame, grill over indirect heat. This type of grilling takes a little longer but results in more tender, flavorful meats with less burning.
Using a grill basket or some other barrier to the high heat is another way to minimise AGE formation. Roasting broccoli florets in a grill basket over indirect heat, for example, will create less AGEs than placing right over the flames. And because broccoli is a food that is inherently low in these substances, you can brown it until it’s crisp without racking up excessive AGEs.
Avoid overcooking and charring of meats. Those black, charred lines harbour concentrations of AGEs that get into the bloodstream and trigger inflammation. And, grill marks are known to contain heterocyclic amines (HCAs), substances long-considered carcinogenic. Watch grilled meats for the formation of grill marks, and flip just as they are starting to show.
