Summer is known for swimming, fresh fruits and vegetables, and our favorite way of cooking: grilling. However, if you’re not careful with grilled food, you could turn delicious and healthy food into dangerous time bombs.

You can grill some of the healthiest foods you can eat. I think this is because you can’t grill grains and you have to stick with the healthiest whole cuts of meat and vegetables. And there is something about the grill that makes food taste delicious.

But while there are many health benefits to grilling foods, there are some downsides. That black, charred hunk contains some of the most potent carcinogens in the world. When meat is cooked at high temperatures, amino acids react with creatine to form heterocyclic amines, which are believed to cause cancer.

The good news is that there are ways around it. One of the best ways is also our favorite: marinades. Marinating the meat does not allow it to burn and creates the heterocyclic amines. Two other great ways to keep meat healthier are to cook at lower temperatures for longer and eat vegetables with your meat on the grill. The last suggestion that often comes up, which very few do, is to microwave meat before cooking.

Here are some of my favorite grilling ideas:

Whole chicken breasts drizzled with orange juice and finished with a pinch of pepper

Marinated skewers made from diced beef, mushrooms, peppers, onions and tomatoes

Veggies Only – All veggies are great on the grill and bring out the best flavors.

You can try bell peppers, onions, aubergines, zucchini, halved plum tomatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, potatoes (thinly sliced), corn on the cob, garlic, artichoke, pumpkin and hot peppers, apples, firm peaches, and nectarines and pineapple make great grilled desserts.

You should also worry about cooking your meats well. While vegetables can be eaten raw, most meat must be cooked. The final internal temperature, at the very center of the meat, should be measured with a thermometer.

Cook whole cuts of meat to at least 120 (rare)

Cook ground beef to at least 160

Cook whole cuts of chicken to at least 160

Cook whole cuts of pork to at least 160

Cook processed foods to at least 160

Cook whole fish cuts to at least 140 (tuna and fish ‘fillet’ can be cooked to 120)

Clams, muscles, shrimp, and scallops should be cooked until opaque.