If you are intentional about healthy eating, you will be careful of the food you consume and your cooking methods and gadgets.
A griddle is excellent grilling equipment, perfect for making different meals such as burgers, meat, eggs, and pancakes. But is cooking on a flat-top grill healthy?
Is Cooking on a Griddle Healthy?
Yes, cooking on a griddle is healthy. The cooktop gets incredibly hot, allowing you to cook or steam foods quickly, thus locking in vitamins, minerals, and flavor. Compared to grills, grills are healthier because they allow most oils and fats to drip off the food through the grates.
Here, we see two sides of a griddle – the positive and the negative. As a result, I did some research and found some fantastic tips to make cooking on a grill or griddle healthier. I also found some fantastic healthy recipes that you can use when cooking on a flat-top grill.
Benefits of Cooking on a Griddle
- Grilled food is a healthier choice than fried food, especially in restaurants. It does not have dripping grease or batter coating.
- You need very little oil when cooking on a griddle
- Food cooked on a flat-top grill is super-delicious
- Cooking food over high heat for a short time retains its natural flavor
- It helps preserve the vitamins and minerals in food
- Griddles are the preferred cooking tools for outdoor gatherings and camping.
- The food does not directly contact the flames, like in a grill. The fire flames cause the formation of cancer-causing compounds in food.
Is Food Cooked on a Griddle Healthy?
Yes, food cooked on a grill is healthy.
If you season your new griddle correctly and continually season it after every use, it forms a solid non-stick coating that can last a lifetime. As a result, you require little or no oil while cooking.
The use of too much cooking oil and fat is the leading cause of lifestyle diseases in the world. Therefore, a grill will help you cut on the quantity of oil you consume, which is a plus to your health.
Food cooked on a flat-top grill is also healthy because it does not contact the open fire flames. Open flames create toxic chemicals when they directly contact the food.
Tips that Make Cooking on a Griddle Healthier
If you want to have healthier meals, the first step is to ensure that you use more nutritious recipes. Avoid or reduce intake of foods with high concentrations of fats, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), and Heterocyclic Amines (HCAs). Such foods include pork and beef.
Instead, include more fruits and vegetables in your diet. If you are grilling meat, for example, you can add some fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidants on the side. Also, use lean meat instead of fatty one and skinless chicken to minimize the amount of fat you consume.
Some fruits and vegetables that taste delicious when grilled on a griddle include:
- Onions
- Bell peppers
- Tomatoes
- Eggplant
- Zucchini
- Endive
- Apple
- Pineapple
- Pear
- Mango
Ensure that you use low-fat or fat-free marinades that contain natural ingredients such as honey, onions, garlic, lemon, vinegar, and herbs. Bottled marinades with olive or canola oil are preferable.
If you must use cooking oil, limit the quantity.
Always use a clean griddle.
A Clean Griddle is a Healthy Griddle
If there is grease build-up or stuck food on the griddle surface, food is likely to burn or cook unevenly. For this reason, your griddle needs cleaning after every use and regular maintenance.
When stuck food stays too long on the cooktop, it attracts bacteria, a significant threat to your health. Cooking on a dirty flat-top grill alters the natural taste of your food as the flavors on the griddle transfer to the food cooking on it.
You will need warm water (optional), paper towels or a clean cloth, cooking oil, a metal scraper, and a griddle brush for routine griddle cleaning.
Scrape off the food remains with a scrapper and pour warm water on the cooktop. Let it rest for a few minutes, scrub gently with a scouring pad and then wipe it off with paper towels. Brush a little oil on the griddle surface to season and store it in a cool, dry place.
Healthy Recipes that You Can Try on Your Griddle
Using the correct recipes improves the healthiness of your griddle cooking. You can try out these healthy recipes:
Gluten-Free Griddle Cakes
We all have probably made breakfast pancakes on our griddles. But very few have made or even heard of gluten-free buttermilk pancakes.
Gluten-free griddle cakes are healthier alternatives to regular pancakes, and they aid in weight loss. They are delicious and perfect for kids and adults.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of the gluten-free flour mix
- 1 cup almond milk
- Three tablespoons of coconut oil
- Three teaspoons of baking powder
- Egg
- Salt
Cooking Instructions
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a bowl. Then, add the almond milk, egg, and coconut oil.
Mix the ingredients well and whisk until you get a smooth consistency with no lumps. Heat your griddle and rub a bit of vegetable oil.
Pour the mixture on the griddle, a little at a time, each with a 2.5-inch radius. Let the pancakes cook on the underside until you see bubbles forming on the top. Flip and let it cook on the other side until golden brown.
Griddled Broccoli
Broccoli cooks perfectly on a griddle. This vegetable is delicate, and when overcooked, it gets soggy.
A griddle helps to bring out a slight crisp on the broccoli. After placing the vegetable on the grill, let it rest for a few seconds and flip it to prevent burning. Keep flipping until you get the desired look.
You can add a little olive oil and salt for flavor. You can also add your preferred seasoning.
Griddled Asparagus
Asparagus cooks best on a griddle. The hot flat-top surface helps mellow out the salt-like flavor in asparagus.
The high-heat cooking caramelizes the vegetable on one side and brings out its natural flavor. Season it with some salt, pepper, and lemon juice. It is such a delicious recipe! The slimmer the asparagus, the crispier they will be.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a griddle healthier than a grill?
No, a griddle is less healthy than a grill. Grills are a bit healthier than griddles because they have grates through which excess oils and fats drip off the food as it cooks.
Unlike a griddle, food cooked on a grill directly contact the fire flames. In the process, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Heterocyclic Amines (HCAs), which are cancer-causing compounds, form. In this case, a griddle is safer and healthier than a grill.
Is cooking on a griddle pan healthy?
Cooking on a griddle pan is a healthy alternative to cooking on skillets or traditional frying pans. Just like the griddle, the cooking surface of a griddle pan is flat, dense, and allows for an even distribution of heat. As a result, meat and vegetables cook evenly on both sides without burning.
What is the healthiest way to grill?
To reduce the potential health risks associated with grilling, you should; use lean meat, marinate the meat before grilling, flip the food frequently with a spatula or a pair of tongs instead of a fork.
Also, grill more fruits and vegetables, eat more fish and chicken instead of beef, and grill smaller portions of food so that they cook faster.
Is a Blackstone healthy?
Blackstone griddles promote healthy cooking because their high heat settings allow food to cook or steam faster, thus locking in flavors, vitamins, and minerals.
Is cooking on the grill good for you?
Grilled meat has lower calories than fried ones. Grilling over high heat releases oils and fats from the meat cooking. However, toxic chemicals that can cause cancer form when the meat comes into contact with the grill’s open flame.
Wrapping Up
Cooking on a griddle is indeed healthy. Your food does not come into contact with direct flames, and you need little or no oil for cooking. The griddle cooktop allows even heat distribution, making it possible to cook the meat evenly on both sides.
Food cooks faster on a griddle, thus retaining vitamins and natural flavors. To get the health benefits from griddle cooking, you need to use healthy recipes. They include grilling fruits and vegetables, using lean meat, and cooking small portions to minimize grilling time.