There’s a growing concern, especially as we age, that we are ingesting too much fat in our bodies. It’s no secret that too much fat in your diet can be contributing factors that lead to all kinds of health problems from heart disease, high cholesterol, cancers, and obesity. In our quest to reduce fat, we still want to somehow maintain the same quality and taste of fried foods without all the extra fat, right? So is an air fryer good for you? We’ll take a look at how air fryers work and how they can be a healthy alternative to deep-fried foods. You’ll be surprised by what we learned!
So is an air fryer good for you? It’s incredible that these small counter appliances have so many health benefits so the answer is definitely YES!
Here are some of the main benefits of using an air fryer:
- Safer to use because you are not heating a lot of oil
- Eliminate or reduces the consumption of acrylamide
- Reduces oil and fat consumption for you and your family
If you have small children in your house, these little dynamos make your kitchen a safer place since you are not heating up large quantities of oil.
Is It Safe To Use An Air Fryer?
Using an air fryer is very safe as long as you take the necessary precautions such as keeping your air fryer in a well-ventilated area when you use it. Air fryers work by circulating hot air using a fan and heat is produced from the heating element. Using an air fryer is much safer than using a deep fryer. A deep fryer can use up to 3 cups of oil which increases the risk of your oil overheating and causing a fire.
Do You Put Oil In An Air Fryer?
Using an air fryer uses very little oil. One tablespoon of oil in an air fryer will allow you to achieve the same or similar results as deep frying your food. Traditional deep fryers can use up to 3 cups of oil and a lot of that oil is absorbed into your food. Cooking your food in an air fryer doesn’t take as long as deep frying. With deep fryers, you have to wait until the oil is hot enough before you put your food in. And if the oil gets too hot, you also risk your deep fryer causing a fire.
Does Using An Air Fryer Cause Cancer?
On the contrary, eating food that has been fried using an air fryer reduces the risk of diseases such as heart disease and cancer because you only need one tablespoon of oil. Air fryers do not use radiation to fry food. They use air that is circulated using a fan. And your food is heated using a heating element. There has been no scientific evidence that links air fryers with an increased risk of cancer.
You may have heard about a substance called acrylamide. This is a substance more often found in plastics, paper, drinking and wastewater. Acrylamide has lead to cancer in laboratory rats. Acrylamide is produced when some foods are heated to a temperature above 248 degrees Fahrenheit. This would most often happen when deep frying potato chips or french fries. But if you are using an air fryer, frying potato chips or french fries reduces the risk of developing cancer from acrylamide.
Is Eating Air Fried Food Healthy?
Eating air fried food is much healthier due to the lower fat content. Food fried in an air fryer only get a very light coating of oil. This reduces your calories as well as your fat. Depending on the air fryer you choose, your chosen air fryer could reduce fat by 75%! So you can enjoy the taste of your favorite fried foods without all the fat and calories.
Are Air Fryers Dangerous To Use?
Air fryers are actually much safer to use than deep fryers. Using air fryers is not dangerous as long as you take the necessary precautions. You should be careful of any hot surfaces and use gloves. Keep an eye on your food to keep it from burning because your food cooks faster in an air fryer. Make sure your air fryer is on a flat surface in a well-ventilated area of your kitchen. The best place to start is to read the owner’s manual.
Wrap Up
So is an air fryer good for you? Absolutely! And don’t just think of it as a way to reduce calories and fat from fried foods. There are plenty of other delicious foods you can cook in your air fryer. How about ravioli, some baked foods like sugar cookies, chicken strips, hard boiled eggs! The list goes on and on. You may find that you use your air fryer more than your stove or oven. They are that versatile!