Eating colors for health

[Monica]

What about black food?

I can't think of any food that is truly black, except charred, burnt foods, which are oxidizing and carcinogenic. Even foods thought of as black, such as blackberries, aren't really black, but just dark purple.

But truly black? Here's the scoop on burnt foods:

Study shows charred meat increases cancer risk

People who regularly eat burned or charred red meat, have a 60 percent higher risk of pancreatic cancer, according data presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 100th Annual Meeting 2009. University of Minnesota researchers said well done and very well done meats cooked by frying, grilling, or barbecuing can form carcinogens...burning or charring meats can transform amino acids and other natural substances in foods into carcinogens called heterocyclic amines (HCAs), which have been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals.

Do charred vegetables contain the same carcinogens as burnt meat?

No, but that doesn’t mean you should grill that capsicum with pyrotechnic abandon. It’s true that charring red meat can create heterocyclic amines (HCAs) – chemicals linked to an increased risk of a range of cancers. But HCAs are the result of a specific mix of amino acids and creatine – a combination you won’t find in any vegetables, says Karen Collins, MS, RD, a nutrition expert for the American Institute for Cancer Research. “However, burning vegetables can also form carcinogens like benzopyrene, which is found in larger amounts in cigarette smoke.”

Still, putting asparagus, squash, onions and other vegetables on the grill is a healthy option. To avoid incinerating your produce, always grill your vegetables over indirect heat – simply place them near the edges of the barbecue grill.