Cooking beef that has been marinated with rosemary extract, a source of antioxidants, may lower toxin levels in the meat, according to a study published in the Journal of Food Science.

Antioxidants are natural compounds found in many food sources, including several types of cooking herbs, that eliminate free radicals in the body that can lead to cancer, memory degeneration diseases and other health complications.

During a recent trial, a team of researchers added different amounts of rosemary extract to ground beef patties, which were cookrfat temperatures ranging from 375 to 400 degrees, the New York Times reports.

The investigators discovered that the more marinade that was used, the more the antioxidant-enriched rosemary would remove toxins from the beef. In fact, results of the study showed that some marinated beef samples had 90 percent lower levels of toxins.

In addition to improving the quality of meats, according to a report published in The Courier Times, a team of scientists from Kansas State University found that the antioxidants in rosemary, fingerroot and tumeric can lower the risk of developing certain forms of cancer.