All that charcoal meat can grill your fertility

Charred foods contain highly carcinogenic carbon residue

With nearly 15 per cent of couples in India suffering from infertility, doctors say the numbers continue to increase, despite many opting for IVF treatment, as the success rate is affected by low fertility. Medical experts are now stressing the importance of one’s diet from a young age, with various studies being conducted on the types of diet that could adversely affect fertility.

A study conducted by the Melbourne Institute of Medical Research has stated that frequently eating charred or barbecued food and sugarloaded food may cause infertility owing to the inflammation of cells around the womb, making it difficult for the embryo to implant.

These types of food could lead to weight gain and the uterus cavity of obese women have shown elevated levels of a sugar by product called advanced glycation end products (AGE), produced by consumption of sugary or blackened foods.

It was found that AGE hinders placental development, which causes pregnancy-related complications. The study stated that the more food items are grilled, blackened or barbecued, the higher the AGE content. The food is also generally higher in saturated fat, sodium and sugar.

Consultant gynaecologist Shilpi Reddy says, “Charred food or rather meat will have high carbon residue which is carcinogenic besides contributing to infertility. Though we do include charred food in our diet occasionally, such as sweet potato, brinjal and others, it is meat that is more problematic because of the fat content. Similarly, we also tend to remove the skin from vegetables or fruits that we cook, but the same is not done with meat.” She added that modern methods of cooking tend to char the meat more, and the oil used is also not healthy.

Charring and barbecuing food is different from cooking food using vessels placed on a coal stove, as the chemicals do not enter the food directly. In the case of tandoor, the food is not as charred as it is in a barbecue.

A. Umadevi, a gynaecologist says, “In case of barbequed items, the meat is placed directly over the coal and left till the skin gets charred. Most Indian dishes are cooked in a pot over coal so there is no direct impact and therefore there is less carbon residue.” Gynaecologist Avantika Manmohan says, “Most sweets are empty carbs and there should be a balance or else one is likely to have a difficult pregnancy, owing to diabetes and other risk factors.”

Patients coming in for IVF treatment are often persuaded to change their diet over a period of time. “We always prescribe a new diet to patients and ensure they follow it before asking them to proceed with the treatment. Though the debate around foods that increase fertility is still on, we can at least keep away from harmful ones,” says Avantika.