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3 healthy (and super delicious) marinades and BBQ sauces for a clean cookout

Skip sugary marinades, which can help produce carcinogens when used on the grill. We promise you won't miss them with these recipes!
/ Source: TODAY

Sure, burgers and brats aren't the most waistline-friendly grilled foods, but did you know that even grilled chicken breasts can come with a side of health risks?

When food chars on the grill, the cooking process makes the food taste extra smoky and delicious, but it also produces carcinogens. Corn syrup and other added sweeteners in bottled barbecue sauces make the food they're covering char faster—but with homemade marinades and sauces, you can control the amount of sugar in your food and add a few extra health-boosting ingredients too.

Studies have found that marinating meat, poultry and fish reduces the formation of cancer-causing compounds during the grilling process. In addition, certain antioxidant-rich ingredients can actually reduce these effects. Marinades made with herbs and spices like turmeric, rosemary, oregano, marjoram, garlic, stone fruits like cherries, and black or green tea, as well as acidic liquids like vinegar and citrus juice, were highly effective at preventing carcinogens from forming.

Let the following healthy marinade and sauce recipes be part of your grilling repertoire this summer—you don't have to lose out on flavor to eat healthy!

Tea Marinade
Cherry Barbecue Sauce