My mother recently purchased an air fryer for the house and I’ve used it a couple of times. I’ve made some chicken wings and fries, sweet potato and regular. Over the years, there have been a lot of people hopping on this different way of cooking. This small kitchen appliance has enabled people to cook with less oil than pan-frying or deep frying. Some dishes are cooked with no oil.
Food is generally cooked faster in an air fryer, making it a good way to conserve energy while cooking. What other benefits can you find by using an air fryer instead of an oven to cook your favorite food? Let’s examine some more benefits as well as negatives to using this appliance.
It’s a Calorie-Friendly Trend
If you’re trying to lower your calorie intake, cooking with an air fryer could be good for you. Air frying gives your food that same crispy texture without all the oil. Excess oil falls to the bottom of the air fryer when using to make fries or mozzarella sticks. Less oil in your food means fewer calories and beneficial to those trying to lose weight.
You could also increase your veggie intake when cooking with an air fryer. It’s easier to cook vegetables with an air fryer and you get more nutrients from them. Use an air fryer to increase your intake of plant-based foods.
It Doesn’t Always Lead to Healthy Diet
While you can lose weight cooking with an air fryer, it doesn’t exactly guarantee a healthier diet. We must still moderate our intake of fried foods in our diet. Replacing deep-fried foods with air-fried ones doesn’t guarantee a much healthier diet. We must still incorporate a diet of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein to maintain a healthier diet.
Air Frying has Heart Health Benefits
Another benefit of air frying is that it is very heart-friendly. The benefits have more to do with the type of ingredients you use while air frying. Try using heart-healthy oil like extra-virgin olive oil as well as veggies amongst your ingredients. By air-frying instead of deep-frying your favorite foods, you are lowering your risk of heart disease.
It Can Cause a Carcinogen to Grow
While air-frying can boost your heart health, there is a certain unhealthy cancer-causing chemical it could also boost. The Center for Food Safety warns that too much air-frying could lead to a cancer-causing chemical called acrylamide growing. Consider adding fresh herbs to your dishes before air frying to lower your chances of this chemical growing.
Air Frying is Safer for the Whole Family
The last benefit of air frying your foods is that it is safer than deep frying. It doesn’t require heating a large container full of scalding, hot oil running the risk of getting burned. Air frying lowers your risk of getting splashed by hot oil. It is even considered to be safer for children to use if they are guided properly.
It Can Take Up Some Space
On the flip side, it can take up some valuable space for your kitchen. The average family-sized model can weigh nearly 18 pounds with a height of 17 inches and width and depth of 12.5 inches. Despite all of this, the most popular do offer a small cooking capacity of somewhere between two to six servings.
So with all of these positives and negatives of using an air fryer, the big question on your mind is probably whether or not you should buy one. If you’re open to non-traditional types of cooking and you prefer quick and easy meals, air frying might be right for you. There are certain negatives to using it, but if you use one in moderation and incorporate healthy plant-based ingredients in the mix, you just might be okay.
What are your opinions about air frying your food? Do you think it’s healthy or not so healthy? Express your thoughts on this hot trend of cooking in the comments below. As always, feel free to like or share this post with someone you know.
Thanks for the information Brandi.
I’m in the market to purchase an air fryer. The pros and cons give me something to think about.