Fire up the barbecue it's grilling time.

Think twice before you throw those thick steaks on the grill. Researchers continue to warn of the risk of colorectal cancer associated with red meats, especially that wonderful blackened crust on grilled meats. Although definitive human studies (prospective, placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind) can't be conducted, and studies involving food frequency questionnaires have their critics, when there's enough smoke you just can't ignore the fire. So, here's more research smoke--this time from the National Cancer Institute.

Researchers developed an extensive questionnaire on red meat consumption, cooking techniques, and level of doneness, and used it in a study of colorectal adenomas (precursors of colorectal cancer). Patients with colorectal adenomas were compared to controls. There was an 11% increase in risk for each 10 grams of red meat consumed per day. That amounts to about two and a half ounces a week, which is not a lot for anyone who enjoys backyard grilling. The more well done the meat, the higher the risk. Other high temperature cooking methods, like frying were also associated with higher than baseline risks. These results support the theory that fats exposed to very high temperatures may form carcinogenic compounds.

Next time you fire up the grill, think fish, grilled vegetables, and chicken. If you cook meat, try cooking at lower temperatures and cultivate a taste for rarer servings (the exception is ground beef, which should always be cooked to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit). Choose leaner cuts and trim the fat.

(Cancer Research, 1999, Vol. 59, No. 17, pp. 4320-4324)