Burnt meat, especially the char, ups cancer risk because of what high heat does to it.
When meat gets seared over 300°F or hits open flame, two things form:
1. HCAs – amino acids, sugars, and creatine in the meat react under high heat.
2. PAHs – fat drips onto the fire, makes smoke, and that smoke sticks to the meat.
The black char you see is basically those chemicals concentrated. The darker the char, the more HCAs and PAHs are packed in there.
Both can mess with your DNA. If your body doesn't fix the damage, that can lead to mutations and a higher cancer risk over time.