Is burnt food really that bad for you? The real risks — and how to avoid them

The air outside is crisp — but your meal shouldn’t be.

Frigid temps often drive cravings for warm, comforting and high-calorie foods. That’s one reason why people tend to pack on the pounds between November and January.

Warm fare is fine — but food that’s cooked, toasted or smoked well beyond perfection carries some health risks. Namely, it may contain chemical compounds that can trigger DNA changes that raise cancer risk.

“Burning food, especially meats, can result in the formation of some carcinogens, chemicals that have been shown in laboratory studies to cause cancer,” Christine B. Ambrosone, the Jayne and Phil Hubbell Family Endowed Chair in Cancer Prevention at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, told The Post.

Scientists have long studied the health effects of consuming scorched food.

Charring or grilling meats such as beef, fish, pork or poultry at high temperatures has been shown to produce polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs).

HCAs form when amino acids, creatine and sugars in muscle meats react at temps above 300 degrees Fahrenheit, while PAHs occur when fat and juices from meat drip onto open flames, creating smoke that coats the meat with these compounds.

Burning or over-browning starchy foods such as bread, potatoes or root vegetables generates high levels of acrylamide.

The chemical process happens between the amino acid asparagine and reducing sugars such as glucose or fructose at temps above 248 degrees Fahrenheit.

PAHs, HCAs and acrylamide are well-established carcinogens in rodents, but the human cancer risks from dietary intake are unclear.

“While some laboratory studies have shown that ingesting the chemicals that form when food is burnt or cooked at high temperatures may cause colon tumors and may also be linked to breast cancer, there is very little evidence that this is true for humans,” said Ambrosone, chair of the Department of Cancer Prevention and Control.

Beyond cancer concerns, toast-tastrophes can be hard to digest and irritate the stomach lining, potentially causing discomfort or acid reflux.

Singeing food can also break down beneficial, heat-sensitive nutrients like the water-soluble vitamins B and C and delicate antioxidants.

Ambrosone said that occasionally eating burnt food is “probably OK,” but habitual consumption “should probably be avoided.”

How not to burn the midnight snacks

Registered dietitian Erin Queno, of Hartford HealthCare Digestive Health Institute in Connecticut, has a few tips for preventing your dinner plans from going up in flames.

• Cook to golden brown: Aim for a light brown, not black.
• Turn the meat often when cooking to prevent charring.
• Trim burnt parts: Scrape off or cut away blackened areas from food.
• Choose leaner meats: Less fat dripping means fewer PAHs.
• Marinate meats: Spices and herbs can reduce HCA formation.
• Adjust cooking methods: Use lower temperatures and shorter cooking times and try boiling or steaming.

“Overall, eating a well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean protein while limiting processed foods is essential for supporting overall health,” Queno told The Post.

“This type of diet provides the body with important nutrients, fiber and antioxidants that help maintain energy levels, support immune function, promote healthy digestion and reduce the risk of chronic disease.”