Are Air-Fried Foods Better for You? By most measures, air frying is healthier than frying in oil. It cuts calories by 70% to 80% and has a lot less fat. This cooking method might also cut down on some of the other harmful effects of oil frying.
It preheats quickly and is easy to clean. It's also much simpler to use compared to a deep fryer. The versatility of it and the reduction in fat content and extra calories from less oil needed makes the air fryer a great choice. However, if you want that classic crispy crust and flavor, then the deep fryer is better.
The downside
Air-frying also produces high temperatures at a very rapid rate, thus making it extremely easy to burn food. And charred food may be carcinogenic. In addition, Cucuzza adds, because most devices cook 1 to 3 pounds of food at a time, it can be challenging to air-fry meals for a large family.
The bottom line is that the less oil and fat used in the cooking process will result in a healthier meal in the end. If you tend to add oil to your chicken when cooking it in the oven, hoping to achieve the ultimate crispy texture, then air frying the same dish is a healthier way of getting the same result.
Air fryers have health benefits over deep frying, but because they cook food for longer periods of time, there is some concern about possible carcinogens in air-fried food. Studies have found that reheated oil in deep-fried food may increase the risk of cancer.
Another called it “a total gamechanger when it comes to cooking”, while Gordon Ramsay claimed the results are like food “cooked in oil, but [the air fryer] locks in the juice and the flavour is extraordinary”.
Reduced Taste Quality
Air fryers have numerous benefits and can cook food efficiently. However, the taste can be subpar compared to other cooking methods available at the commercial level. People traditionally enjoy the authentic taste of conventionally fried or deep-fried food items.
The air fryer is perfect for oil-free cooking. Though manufacturers and recipes often suggest using a little bit of oil, you actually don't need to add any oil to ingredients before tossing them into the fryer basket. The high heat and circulating air will give you crispy texture without any oil.
Then I spent months testing them, and part of that test was making batch after batch of our Air-Fryer French Fries. My mind was changed. These fries are crispy, fluffy, and salty in the best way, and they taste just like they came out of a deep fryer.
Air fryers don't use a lot of electricity, with most requiring between 800 and 1800 watts (W) to run, though some large models need more. Air fryers also use less electricity than electric ovens, which typically use around 2,200 W to 5,000 W, and therefore cost more to run.
We'd be remiss not to mention that air fried foods, though comparable to their deep fried counterparts in many ways, do not have exactly the same taste and texture. In general, deep fried foods will have a thicker crust on them, while air fried foods have a texture that's light, crisp and, well, airy by comparison.
If you're looking to reduce your intake of oily foods or create healthier meals for your family, then an air fryer can offer you a lot. Having an air fryer can also support you to explore more recipes, as we'll look at later on. Everything from French fries and chicken wings to tofu and roasted vegetables.
That makes air frying a lower-in-fat-and-calories alternative to deep-fat frying. Air fryers significantly reduce cooking time and tend to give off less heat, which makes them ideal for hot-weather cooking.
Air fryers 'fry' your food. Despite its name, an air fryer doesn't actually 'fry' your food at all – it bakes it. "The biggest misconception is that air fryers cook foods the same as deep frying," says Fiona. "They cook as an oven would, so foods are more oven baked than deep fried."
In actuality, air frying is simply convection cooking with a great marketing name. Professional chefs have been utilizing convection cooking—fine, air frying—to quickly cook everything from potatoes to roasted veggies and more for decades.
Baking foods to a golden yellow, or lighter colour, and at lower oven temperatures will reduce acrylamide levels. When cooking foods such as toast and toasted sandwiches do not over-toast or burn. Cooking bread to a golden colour, or lighter, will help to keep acrylamide levels lower.
This being said, if little to no oil is being added to the dishes you're making in the air fryer, those dishes are just as healthy as if you would have baked them. The nutritionals aren't changing, just the methodology, so air fry to your heart's content!
Air fried potatoes are a healthier alternative to deep fried potatoes. They have almost the same roasted texture you'd get at a restaurant without the fat or calories that come from a batter or large amount of cooking oil. And you can feel GOOD about wating them.
Preheat air fryer to 300° Fahrenheit. Once air fryer comes to temperature, place raw eggs in air fryer basket. Place basket in air fryer and set cook time based on desired doneness: 9 minutes for soft-boiled eggs, 11 minutes for medium-boiled eggs, or 13 minutes for hard-boiled eggs.