Is there any truth to the concern that charcoal grill ashes give you cancer?

[NFS4]

My future mother-in-law called me up this afternoon and said that "someone" wanted to get us a gas grill as a wedding gift and she wanted to make sure I was OK with getting a gas grill before this person went out and bought it.

I tried not to be as nice as possible (she's a really sweet woman) and told her that would be a nice gesture, but I prefer charcoal, love the flavor, and just have never been a fan of gas grills even though I've used them on occasion. And if I got one, it'd probably sit unused anyway.

She kinda took slight offense to this (I'm wondering if she's the one trying to nudge a gas grill into our hands), then proceeded to talk about all of these carcinogens that float up off the charcoal and onto your food causing you to get cancer.

This was news to me, so I simply said that I doubt that it could possibly cause THAT much harm and that it probably isn't enough to kill me. She kinda gave me a a "Wellllllll, ooook" and dropped the subject.

Is there any truth to this stuff? I doubt that any particles would be enough to cause any real danger...

 

[RadiclDreamer]

If they gave you cancer, I would be dead by now

 

[adairusmc]

Tell her you want a Traeger wood pellet grill instead. Best grill you can get IMO.

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

http://health.discovery.com/ce.../top10myths/myth2.html

 

[QED]

It's not the ashes for the charcoal. It's the ashy, charred, or blackened pieces of meat you consume that are slightly carcinogenic.

You'd have the same issue no matter how the meat is grilled-- either open flame, charcoal, gas, etc.

Unless you grill food for every meal every day of your life, I wouldn't even give this matter a second thought.

 

[EagleKeeper]

She has heard something and would expect that a college educated boy (who has been chasing her daughter) would have also heard such.

Now when you do not give creedence to what was heard and possibly intend on jeapordizing your health and potentially exposing her daughter to such ....

 

[imported_Imp]

Taste the meat, not the heat.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Your dead when you are dead. Why not be happy instead of paranoid? The last thing I want to do is live to 90, wearing a diaper, half brain dead and not capable of wiping my own ass.

Life should be about quality of life and if you measure quality of life by longevity, that is fine. jsut don't tell others they are wrong over choosing the things that make you happy in your measure of quality of life.

I'm 32 and have laughed more than almost anyone I know. I have lived the life of a paranoid 100 year old by now as far as I am concerned.

 

[Ns1]

who gives a fuck, everything gives you cancer

 

[sactoking]

Charcoal/wood grills CAN produce carcinogens and creosote if you choke off the air supply enough. If the fuel is burning at <200* it's not "burning clean", but if you're grilling steaks and burgers and such this is likely not an issue.

 

[vi edit]

Life causes cancer. Hell just being paranoid about every freaking thing in the world is probably a greater detriment to your health than the item you are fretting over.

Live dangerously. Grill a steak over an open flame. Eat. Enjoy. Live happy.

 

[krylon]

Originally posted by: NFS4
My future mother-in-law called me up this afternoon and said that "someone" wanted to get us a gas grill as a wedding gift and she wanted to make sure I was OK with getting a gas grill before this person went out and bought it.

I tried not to be as nice as possible (she's a really sweet woman) and told her that would be a nice gesture, but I prefer charcoal, love the flavor, and just have never been a fan of gas grills even though I've used them on occasion. And if I got one, it'd probably sit unused anyway.

She kinda took slight offense to this (I'm wondering if she's the one trying to nudge a gas grill into our hands), then proceeded to talk about all of these carcinogens that float up off the charcoal and onto your food causing you to get cancer.

This was news to me, so I simply said that I doubt that it could possibly cause THAT much harm and that it probably isn't enough to kill me. She kinda gave me a a "Wellllllll, ooook" and dropped the subject.

Is there any truth to this stuff? I doubt that any particles would be enough to cause any real danger...

:camera: of future wife.

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: RadiclDreamer
If they gave you cancer, I would be dead by now

no, not really.

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: QED
It's not the ashes for the charcoal. It's the ashy, charred, or blackened pieces of meat you consume that are slightly carcinogenic.

You'd have the same issue no matter how the meat is grilled-- either open flame, charcoal, gas, etc.

Unless you grill food for every meal every day of your life, I wouldn't even give this matter a second thought.

This ^

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: krylon


:camera: of future wife.

**Scratches head**

Someone isn't looking hard enough...

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: krylon


:camera: of future wife.

**Scratches head**

Someone isn't looking hard enough...

Maybe that's why he wants a :camera:

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: Flipped Gazelle

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: krylon


:camera: of future wife.

**Scratches head**

Someone isn't looking hard enough...

Maybe that's why he wants a :camera:

<- Just spit eggroll on his keyboard. DAMN YOU!

 

[oiprocs]

Originally posted by: Ns1
who gives a fuck, everything gives you cancer

Even hookers and blow?

 

[NesuD]

Just give her the technical answer. It is the charring on the meat that contains the carcinogens not the heat source used. Like was pointed out earlier you could cook the meat with electric and still get those same carcinogens if you charred the meat in any way. The only way to avoid it is to not ever brown or slightly char your meat. Makes for a boring meal if you ask me. I'm sure the details of this can be easily googled.

Now after you have wowed her with the technical response to her assertion take a moment to point out to her all the potential carcinogens she is exposing herself to everyday when she gets dressed. Point being we are surrounded by them. Can't avoid them so why sweat it.

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: scorpious

Originally posted by: Ns1
who gives a fuck, everything gives you cancer

Even hookers and blow?

Hookers and blow is actually the cure to cancer.


Well, maybe not the cure, but it sure as hell makes you feel better.

 

[HannibalX]

Tell her you would rather die than grill with gas.

 

[0roo0roo]

yup burn ur meat = cancer
charcoal is fine

 

[AstroManLuca]

Originally posted by: Ns1
who gives a fuck, everything gives you cancer

Eat what you want. Die like a man. P.S. I love blackened charcoal-y edges on my veggies and meat.

 

[Red Squirrel]

We've been using charcoal grills for YEARS. Why would it suddenly cause cancer now? Unless the charcoal comes from china now or something.

 

[Gothgar]

Originally posted by: krylon

Originally posted by: NFS4
My future mother-in-law called me up this afternoon and said that "someone" wanted to get us a gas grill as a wedding gift and she wanted to make sure I was OK with getting a gas grill before this person went out and bought it.

I tried not to be as nice as possible (she's a really sweet woman) and told her that would be a nice gesture, but I prefer charcoal, love the flavor, and just have never been a fan of gas grills even though I've used them on occasion. And if I got one, it'd probably sit unused anyway.

She kinda took slight offense to this (I'm wondering if she's the one trying to nudge a gas grill into our hands), then proceeded to talk about all of these carcinogens that float up off the charcoal and onto your food causing you to get cancer.

This was news to me, so I simply said that I doubt that it could possibly cause THAT much harm and that it probably isn't enough to kill me. She kinda gave me a a "Wellllllll, ooook" and dropped the subject.

Is there any truth to this stuff? I doubt that any particles would be enough to cause any real danger...

:camera: of future wife.

check his sig