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Does eating food with grill marks increase risk?

Page last modified on: October 21, 2009
Question from Annie: My sister, another child of our breast-cancer surviving mother, refuses to eat food with 'grill marks' because of the cancer risk. I LOVE to grill and I do like a bit of char...not completely blackened, but black grill lines. Who's right? Me or sis?!
Answer —Diana Dyer, M.S., R.D.: Grilling does lead to carcinogens, but there actually are some studies that show that marinating the meat for as little as 30 minutes ahead of time, and it doesn't matter what marinade, pretty significantly reduces the ultimate amount of carcinogens formed when the meat is grilled.

On Tuesday, October 13, 2009, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Nutrition Through the Holidays. Diana Dyer, M.S., R.D. and Larissa Korde, M.D., M.P.H. answered your questions about what and how much to eat when holiday treats abound.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Diana Dyer, M.S., R.D.Diana Dyer, M.S., R.D. is a registered dietitian in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and a two-time breast cancer survivor.

Larissa Korde, M.D., M.P.H. is an assistant professor in the Division of Medical Oncology at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance of the University of Washington. She specializes in the care of breast cancer patients.

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