Stay healthy with steak and wine

Steak is less likely to contribute to cancer when marinated in beer or red wine, scientists have found.

Fried and grilled meat have especially high levels of cancer-causing compounds called heterocyclic amines (HAs), produced by hot temperatures' effect on sugars and amino acids.

However, various substances found in the kitchen can reduce HA content: research has shown that an olive oil, lemon juice and garlic marinade reduces HA levels in grilled chicken by 90 per cent. Red wine has also been shown to lower HAs in fried chicken.

Now scientists, led by Isabel Ferreira at the University of Porto in Portugal, have looked at the effects of beer and red wine marinades on fried steak. "Six hours of marinating in beer or red wine slashed levels of two types of HA by up to 90 per cent compared with unmarinated steak," New Scientist magazine reports.