Overcooked Food Can Be Harmful

If you don’t cook food enough to kill all the bacteria that may be lurking, you run the risk of getting a nasty infection. On the other hand, it seems that overcooking food can be risky too – though in the long-term. A report in the Journal of Gerontology describes how substances called advanced glycation endproducts, or AGEs, are produced by rapid, high-heat cooking. And AGEs, also called glycotoxins, are prooxidants (they increase oxidative stress in the body); they can accumulate in the body over time.

Researchers examined 172 healthy volunteers who fell into 2 groups – those under 45 and those over 60. They measured the levels of the inflammation marker C-reactive protein (CRP) and two AGE derivatives. These three substances were higher in the blood of the older subjects. Regardless of the age grouping, the blood levels of the AGE derivatives were associated with the degree of insulin resistance and oxidative changes, i.e. harmful effects. And those participants who consumed high levels of AGEs from foods that had been grilled, broiled, or fried had correspondingly high levels of CRP.

Inflammation is now regarded as a precursor to degenerative changes in the arteries, i.e. atherosclerosis, which can lead to cardiovascular disease. So this study shows, quite neatly, how too much grilled, fried, or over-heated food can end up encouraging heart disease. As if we didn’t know already!