Soapstone Griddle

Sparq’s founders LOVE to grill, and you can imagine our dismay when discovered that grilling over an open flame carries HUGE risks of cancer.

There is staggering research that finds; Grilling meat directly over an open flame can increase your risk of CANCER by 50% – 70%.

We love grilling too much AND our health too much to accept this type of risk.  Enter Soapstone Griddle, over the last 3 years we did our homework and came up with a product that would afford us the best of both worlds, our health and our grill.

Did you know the lifestyle factors of diet and tobacco-use together account for approximately 70% of all human cancer, with diet by itself accounting for 35%-45% of human cancer (Goodherham et al., 1996)?

Points we found in our research to reduce the risk of cancer from grilled foods;

1. The American Cancer Society recommends to avoid fat dripping onto the hot coals or open flame which causes smoke and flare-ups that can contain carcinogens.1
2. 2.The National Cancer Institute recommends avoiding direct exposure of meat to an open flame or a hot metal surface which causes charring and carcinogen mutation.2
3. 3.The NCI also recommends avoiding prolonged cooking of meat at high temperatures (over 300ºF).3
4. 4.Research published by MSNBC and other science journals recommend using a homemade marinade (avoid thick commercially available marinades).4

Features we built into our Soapstone Griddle;

1. Using a Griddle will remove your meat from an open flame or a hot metal surface (As recommended by the National Cancer Institute).
2. Using our Soapstone Griddle will prevent flare-ups from dripping fat (As recommended by the American Cancer Society).
3. Soapstone’s temperature qualities allow you to cook at lower temperatures and achieve the same results in the same amount of time (As recommended by the National Cancer Institute).
4. Our Soapstone Griddle’s groove design will naturally self-baste creating a moist, organic marinade while melting away unwanted fat (As recommended by science journals and reported by major news outlets).

REFERENCE LIST

Gooderham, N. J., Murray, S., Lynch, A.M., Yadollahi-Farsani, M., Bratt, C., Rich, K.J., Ahao, K, Murray, B.P., Bhadresa, S., Crosbie, S.J., Boobis, A.R., & Davies, D.S. (1996). Heterocyclis amines: Evaluation of their role in diet associated human cancer. British Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 42, 91-98.

“Pancreatic cancer risk: associations with meat-derived carcinogen intake.” Presented at the April 18-22, 2009 American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) Meeting in Denver, CO. First author: Kristin Anderson, PhD, associate professor and cancer epidemiologist with the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health and Masonic Cancer Center.

(1) http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/news/Features/a-backyard-chefs-guide-to-healthy-grilling

(2&3) http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/cooked-meats

(2) Knize MG, Felton JS. Formation and human risk of carcinogenic heterocyclic amines formed from natural precursors in meat. Nutrition Reviews 2005; 63(5):158–165.

(3) Jägerstad M, Skog K. Genotoxicity of heat-processed foods. Mutation Research 2005; 574(1–2):156–172.

(4) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8499202/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/