How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease

by Michael Greger

Yes, cooking methods matter. A baked apple has three times more AGEs than a raw apple, and a grilled hot dog has more than a boiled hot dog. But the source is what matters most: a baked apple has 45 units of AGEs compared to a raw apple’s 13 units, while a grilled hot dog has 10,143 units compared to a boiled hot dog’s 6,736. The researchers recommend cooking meat using moist-heat cooking methods, such as steaming or stewing, but even boiled fish has more than 10 times more AGEs than a sweet potato roasted for an hour. Meat averages about 20 times more AGEs than highly processed foods like breakfast cereals and about 150 times more than fresh fruits and vegetables. Poultry was the worst, containing about 20 percent more AGEs than beef. The researchers concluded that even a modest reduction in meat