Making healthy eating choices doesn’t have to be complicated and sometimes we learn quite a bit along the way. Baking and grilling are healthier cooking methods versus frying (in most cases), but is it possible that between the two, that either baking or grilling is “healthier”?? To explore this question, chicken can be discussed as the food to be baked or grilled. A basic piece of chicken is about 3.5 ounces (100 grams). When it is skinless and boneless, it contains about 110-120 calories and about 20 grams of protein and no carbohydrates and minimal fat (if any around 3 grams).
BAKING
Most baking is done in an oven using dry heat to cook the food. It is called indirect cooking because no flame makes contact with the food. Steam and dry heat in the oven do the cooking. Chicken is typically baked at 350°F but can vary if it is in a covered versus uncovered pan or how high it is placed on the oven rack. If the chicken is baked at too high a temperature, nutrients can be compromised. Some vitamins are heat-sensitive, which include Vitamin B1, Vitamin C, and Pantothenic Acid (type of B vitamin).
GRILLING
When food is grilled, it usually cooks faster because direct heat is used. An open flame is used. Moisture and fat can melt away and at the same time those same water-soluble vitamins (Vitamin B1, Vitamin C, and Pantothenic Acid) can be dissolved and lost. The taste might be drier/smokier than baked chicken.
RESULT
The difference between baked and grilled chicken in terms of which is “healthier”, is marginal. The National Cancer Institute (NIH) has determined that cooking at high temperatures on an open flame can produce carcinogens. This does not hold true for baking. If the concern is weight loss or diet related for choosing to bake or grill, then there would not be a difference. If worried about possible cancer-causing agents, then baking would be safer. In the end, both are better than frying, but the tell winner would have to baking as the overall “healthier” version of chicken for us to consume.
Meat and Human Health—Current Knowledge and Research Gaps – PMC
