Testing the (cooking) Water

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Cooking can save you money and help you and your family eat healthier, which will lower your risk of getting cancer. (It’s also really helpful when you’re trying to lose weight, which is why it’s a part of the New American Plate Challenge.) canstockphoto4003655

However, if you don’t cook a lot, getting started in the kitchen can be daunting. I know when I started cooking, even basic meals seemed overwhelming. It might be that you don’t have a lot of time, the right tools in the kitchen, or you’ve just never really tried.

But cooking can be a lot of fun, and it doesn’t have to be challenging. Here are some tips to make it easier.

Get your kitchen essentials:

  • 3 quart (or larger) sauce pan or stockpot
  • 10-12 inch frying pan
  • Large chopping knife
  • Cutting board
  • Glass or ceramic baking dish
  • Spatula and wooden spoon
  • Measuring cups
  • Set of mixing bowls

Spice it up with herbs
Make sure to also stock up on a few basic herbs and spices – these can help flavor food without adding a lot of salt. I recommend a basic Italian herb mix or any other salt-free blends, like those by Mrs. Dash. Continue reading →

Beyond Shish Kabob, Grilling Fun

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Except for skewering a couple of onions and tomatoes with cubes of meat for kabobs, the delicious possibilities of grilling a wide variety of vegetables often go unexplored. But our Health-e-Recipe for Grilled Vegetables helps you turn out plenty of terrific tasting vegetables for your summer barbecues.

 

Start by buying the freshest possible white and red onions, peppers, summer squash like zucchini or yellow crookneck, portobello mushrooms and asparagus you can find. (You can try eggplant and cherry tomatoes, too.) Have a mix of herbs, juice or balsamic vinegar and canola or olive oil on hand plus a basting brush ready. Get your grill heated to medium. Skewer bite-size pieces or just place halved veggies on the grate and baste, grilling for about 2 minutes on each side.

 

Vegetables don’t contain the saturated fats that meats do. When saturated fat drips onto a heat source during grilling, it can cause flareups of smoke and flames that contain carcinogens. So grilling vegetables using a vegetable-based oil like olive or canola is totally safe. (Ditto for firm-fleshed fruits.)

 

For taste-tested cancer-fighting recipes, visit the AICR Test Kitchen. Subscribe to our weekly Health-e-Recipes.

“Unfit for Human Consumption”: Processed Meat Science vs. Spin

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meat delicaciesWell, it sure got people’s attention, we’ll say that for sure. But is it accurate?

Last week a blog post from an organization called the Institute for Natural Healing picked up on one of the 10 AICR/WCRF Recommendations for the Prevention of Cancer first published back in 2007. That blog post has since gone viral (it’s been shared tens of thousands of times across many different social media platforms), and has attracted the attention of the news media, who have now approached us for comment.

Neither AICR nor our international partners, the World Cancer Research Fund, have any connection to the Institute for Natural Healing, whose website sells “natural” dietary supplements to treat conditions ranging from cancer to heart disease to male potency. (AICR/WCRF’s report and continuous updates have found that when it comes to cancer, it’s better to rely on whole diets, not dietary supplements, to reduce your risk.)

Last week’s INH blog post specifically spotlighted the AICR/WCRF recommendation to avoid processed meat (a category which includes hot dogs, sausage, bacon and cold cuts — for more information, see the AICR Blog post “What is Processed Meat, Anyway?”). That recommendation, at least, is real. It is the conclusion of an independent panel of leading scientists convened by AICR/WCRF who, following the largest, most comprehensive review of international research ever undertaken, judged the evidence that processed meat increases the risk of colorectal cancer to be convincing. This review was published in 2007 and was subsequently confirmed in 2011. Continue reading →