Grilling has long been known as a healthy cooking technique, but eating charred, well-done meat on a regular basis can have adverse health affects.

Consuming well-done meat increases your risk of pancreatic cancer by up to 60 percent, according to a study from the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health and Masonic Cancer Center.

Cooking meats at high temperatures, as in the case of grilling, leads to the formation of heterocyclic amines, which are chemicals responsible for the formation of carcinogens. 

You can still enjoy a hot dog fresh from the flames, but avoid overcooking and charring the meat. Use lean cuts of meat and trim excess fat to reduce the formation of smoke, which also contains potential carcinogens. You can cover meat in foil while it is cooking to reduce its smoke exposure. 

Or try grilling fruits and veggies, which do not release the same cancer-causing compounds as meat.