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Toxins & Detoxification

Healthy Food Preparation: Reducing Toxic Exposures

Reading Time: 3 minutes
Updated on: February 6, 2025

When it comes to food, much attention is paid to “what” we eat—whether it’s organic, gluten-free, whole foods, or processed—and rightfully so; the nutritional value of the foods we consume significantly influences our health. And yet, the effects of foods extend beyond their nutritional value. The way food is prepared and stored affects its healthfulness as well.

Cooking Methods: Meat, High Heat, & Health Concerns

The cooking method chosen in food preparation may affect the flavor, texture, and presentation of a meal. It may also impact the meal’s nutrient level. When preparing meat, for example, certain cooking methods may generate chemicals that are known to cause cancer. Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) are harmful substances that have carcinogenic effects and are produced after meats are exposed to high-heat cooking methods such as:1,2

  • Frying
  • Roasting
  • Braising
  • Grilling 

Small amounts of meat prepared with high heat are likely just fine to consume, but for people with a history of cancer and/or high consumption, these are red flags to consider. Temperature, duration, heat transfer, and added plant extracts that contain beneficial antioxidants are some factors that may affect the formation of these cancer-related substances.1-3 In addition, antioxidant-rich marinades that include spices and herbs commonly used as meat flavoring are another method that may prevent the formation of cancer-related chemicals during high-heat cooking.1 Some of those plants, spices, and herbs include:1,2

  • Garlic
  • Onion
  • Ginger
  • Rosemary
  • Turmeric
  • Black pepper
  • Oregano
  • Marjoram 

Plastics and Cookware

In addition to how a meal is prepared, the container in which a food is cooked or stored may also hold potential for contamination, or toxic chemical release. A 2021 study into food safety and the migration of chemicals from plastic containers that are used for microwave and conventional oven heating found that 74 different chemical compounds had migrated from the cooking containers into the tested food samples.4 In addition, the levels of 20 chemicals were higher when microwaved.4 Another 2021 study specific to microwaveable plastic food containers used for storage, cooking, and take-out boxes also found migration of multiple chemical substances into food, including microplastics.5 

Manmade chemicals are everywhere in the environment, and another source of potential toxic chemical exposure is in the kitchen. Some types of these persistent chemicals are used in consumer products such as non-stick cookware and plastic food packaging and have many negative health effects such as disrupting the body’s hormonal signals and blood sugar balance.6,7 The scientific term for this is “endocrine and metabolic disruptors.” For example, studies on women’s health reported associations between higher exposure levels to endocrine disruptors, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) (i.e., forever chemicals), and a later start of menstruation, irregular menstrual cycles, earlier age of menopause, and reduced levels of sex hormones.8 One member of this PFAS chemical family is commonly known as Teflon and is used to coat a number of commercial products, from cookware to carpets.

Conclusion 

Food preparation techniques that reduce toxic chemical exposure and retain the maximum amount of nutrients are important tools in promoting health.In addition to occasional grilling with marinades and removing any charred portions of meat before eating, other tips to help avoid toxicants in the kitchen include:

  • Heating and storing foods in glass containers
  • Using stainless-steel or cast-iron cookware
  • Opting for gentle cooking methods such as steaming
  • Choosing the fat or oil best suited for cooking over low, medium, or higher heats as needed

Functional medicine practitioners understand the importance of monitoring potential toxic chemical exposures and reducing those exposures where possible, even in the kitchen. Practitioners trained in functional medicine have a wealth of information regarding healthy food preparation and prioritize these and other lifestyle-based approaches to enhance health for each individual patient. 

Find a functional medicine practitioner near you by clicking the link below and learn more about lifestyle-based therapeutic strategies and a personalized approach to health and wellness.

Find a functional medicine practitioner near you!

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REFERENCES
  1. Nadeem HR, Akhtar S, Ismail T, et al. Heterocyclic aromatic amines in meat: formation, isolation, risk assessment, and inhibitory effect of plant extracts. Foods. 2021;10(7):1466. doi:10.3390/foods10071466
  2. Wang H, Chu X, Du P, et al. Unveiling heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) in thermally processed meat products: formation, toxicity, and strategies for reduction - a comprehensive review. Food Chem X. 2023;19:100833. doi:10.1016/j.fochx.2023.100833
  3. Gumus D, Macit A, Guzel B, Tengilimoglu-Metin MM, Kizil M. Bitter melon extract mitigates heterocyclic aromatic amine formation in chicken thigh meat. Food Sci Nutr. 2024;12(6):4259-4268. doi:10.1002/fsn3.4085
  4. Sapozhnikova Y, Nuñez A, Johnston J. Screening of chemicals migrating from plastic food contact materials for oven and microwave applications by liquid and gas chromatography - Orbitrap mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A. 2021;1651:462261. doi:10.1016/j.chroma.2021.462261
  5. He YJ, Qin Y, Zhang TL, et al. Migration of (non-) intentionally added substances and microplastics from microwavable plastic food containers. J Hazard Mater. 2021;417:126074. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126074
  6. Wan MLY, Co VA, El-Nezami H. Endocrine disrupting chemicals and breast cancer: a systematic review of epidemiological studies. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2022;62(24):6549-6576. doi:10.1080/10408398.2021.1903382
  7. Goodrich JA, Alderete TL, Baumert BO, et al. Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances and glucose homeostasis in youth. Environ Health Perspect. 2021;129(9):97002. doi:10.1289/EHP9200
  8. Ding N, Harlow SD, Randolph JF Jr, Loch-Caruso R, Park SK. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and their effects on the ovary. Hum Reprod Update. 2020;26(5):724-752. doi:10.1093/humupd/dmaa018