An air fryer is a healthier option for cooking fried foods because of its low fat and calorie content. However, it has some risks, meaning you have to take a variety of foods to stay healthy.
What comes to your mind when you think of fried foods? If you are a lover of chips, pastries, or fried meat, chances are, you might have a kitchen appliance for the same. An air fryer is a perfect example. It is believed that taking air-fried food is healthier compared to deep-fried foods. However, how true is this? Please keep reading to find out what an air fryer is, how it works, whether or not using it for your fried foods is healthier, and some of the benefits and risks associated with it.
What is an Air Fryer?
This is a kitchen appliance used to air fry foods like meat and potato chips. It has received massive embrace thanks to numerous claims of it being a healthier method of frying foods. Most manufacturers say an air fryer gives you the chance to enjoy your fried foods with reduced health effects from taking oil fried foods prepared using other cooking methods.
The beauty of using this kitchen appliance is that it gives you a healthier meal with equal measures o flavor and texture as you would get from other traditional methods of preparing foods.
How Does an Air Fryer Work?
An air fryer gives your food a crispy feel by circulating hot air around it. It achieves this by getting rid of high amounts of fat and calories in the whole process of cooking. Hence, you can use a tablespoon of cooking oil and get the same results in your dried food compared to using cups of oils in methods like deep frying.
Moreover, the heated air in air fryers has fine oil droplets that remove moisture from the food item, so your fried food contains similar characteristics but has low-fat levels.
Is Cooking With an Air Fryer Healthy?
If you are conscious about your health, you want to be precise with the kind of food you eat. For instance, even when going for fried foods, you undoubtedly want a healthier option, which is where air frying comes in. They are much healthier when you cook your foods using an air fryer rather than a deep fryer. You can experience the benefits in several ways. Such include;
Helps Reduce Fat Content in Foods
Taking lots of deep-fried foods means increasing your fat intake. This is because the method of food preparation involves more fat content than others, such as roasting. The good news is, using an air fryer can be a better alternative to deep-frying your potato chips, meat, or other foods. Why?
An air fryer helps reduce the fat content in food, thanks to the less fat they need to make the foods compared to a deep fryer. For every 750ml of oil you will need for your fried food while using a deep fryer; an air fryer will utilize a less amount of 15ml. The good thing is, as much as you will have your food with very reduced fat content, it will still retain its moisture and color content.
Therefore, if you want to reduce the potential risks of taking too much fat, such as inflammation and heart disease, why not embrace the use of an air fryer for your fried foods?
May Aid in Weight Loss
Managing your weight can be tricky and a hassle. Moreover, if you want to shed some weight, you have to be keen on your fat and calorie intake. You want nothing to jeopardize your weight loss progress, and it’s at this point you want to focus on your food preparation. Instead of taking deep-fried foods with high fat and calorie content that can increase your chances of obesity, you can opt for air-fried foods. They will do your waistline some good.
So, to help cut the calories you take, why not get yourself an air fryer and enjoy those air-fried foods that are lower in fat?
Can Prevent Formation of Dangerous Compounds
When you take deep-fried foods, you expose yourself to harmful compounds such as acrylamide. It is formed when you use cooking methods involving high amounts of heat to prepare foods rich in carbohydrates. According to research, this compound can be associated with cancer development.
Therefore, if you want to decrease the chances of developing cancer, you can limit or eliminate the amount of acrylamide you consume. One great way of achieving this is going for cooking methods that do not involve great amounts of heat, such as air frying.
However, as you use air frying as a healthier method, keep in mind it can still expose you to certain compounds that might be harmful to you.
Risks of Using an Air Fryer
At this point, it is evident that air-fried foods are a healthier option than deep-fried foods. Hence, if you are a health fanatic, you might already be considering adding an air fryer to the list of your kitchen appliances. However, before you get to that step so fast, how about you know some of the potential risks that could be associated with eating air-dried foods?
It is important to keep in mind that you will not avoid the side effects or health problems of fried foods simply because you are using an air fryer instead of deep-frying. Some studies suggest that constant consumption of fried foods lead to health problems like an increased rate of developing the following diseases;
- Heart failure
- Prostate cancer
- Lung cancer
- Oral cancer
- High blood pressure
- Type 2 diabetes
Unfortunately, the research backing up these potential side effects is still limited. So, what should you do to stay healthy? A good idea would be to incorporate healthier food options in place of your fried foods. Moreover, you can swap air frying with other healthier methods of preparing your meals, such as boiling, stewing, or steaming.
Conclusion
Using an air fryer is a healthier alternative when you take fried foods. This cooking method is low in fat and calories, ideal for weight loss. However, as much as it is a healthier option, you can limit your intake of fried foods altogether to be safer. Remember, there are risks of taking fried foods you cannot avoid even with air frying, such as cancer risks and exposure to other harmful compounds. Therefore, as you air fry your foods, ensure you take a diet full of vegetables, fruits, and other whole grains for optimal health. Be versatile in your cooking.
- LeafWorks Inc is a biotechnology company that improves cannabis and hemp cultivation and the quality of natural products - April 18, 2023
- Cave Nacional is a wine bar dedicated exclusively to brazilian wines - April 18, 2023
- Hands-Free Inc: The Journey of Quikiks, a Human-Centered Hands-Free Shoe - April 10, 2023
