Do you ever find yourselfcraving burnt food?
Many people love the flavor of slightly burnt popcorn or burnt toast with butter.
Nuoc mau, a nearly-burnt sugar sauce, is a staple of Vietnamese cuisine, says theLos Angeles Times.
This bitter-sweet syrup gives meat, fish, rice, and other Vietnamese dishes a beautiful amber color.
A popular cafe in L.A., for example,offers burnt brioche bread with jam and cheese.
The popular French creme brulee is made with nearly-burnt caramelized sugar.
If you go to Mexico, you’ll find that many dishes are served with burnt tomato sauce.
All in all, burning food on purpose is actually a thing.
Love it or hate it, this trend won’t go away anytime soon.
Is eating burnt food bad for you?
Rumors say thateating burnt foodcan cause cancer in the long run.
The evidence is mixed, though.
Overcooked meat and fish are less likely to contain this toxin, says theFDA.
The same goes for HCAs and PAHs, reports the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Both compounds have the potential to cause cancer, but there’s not enough evidence to confirm these risks.
Just confirm you don’t make a habit out of eating burnt food daily or every other day.
TheFDArecommends cooking starchy foods until they achieve a golden yellow color to keep their acrylamide levels low.
If you love potatoes, enjoy them roasted instead of frying them.
Better yet, boil ormicrowave them with the skin onto prevent acrylamide formation.
This trick can reduce their acrylamide content, says the FDA.
As far as bread goes, it’s best to toast it to a light brown color.
When it comes to HCAs and PAHs, theDana-Farber Cancer Instituteadvises against cooking meat products over an open flame.
Scrape off the charred portions of meat and fish before serving.
The experts at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute also suggest microwaving meat prior to grilling, frying, or roasting it.
This will reduce the cooking time, resulting in lower HCA levels.
