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Are air Medically reviewed by

Katherine Marengo LDN,
R.D., Nutrition — By Abbey

fryers Ryan — Updated on April 12,

2023

healthy?
A DV ERTISEMENT
Air fryers vs. other methods

How do they work?

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Many sources claim

that air fryers offer a
healthy alternative for
making fried foods
because they use less
oil. But what are the
benefits and risks of
cooking with an air
Latest news
fryer?
Low-flavanol diets may
contribute to age-related
memory loss

Commonly used heart

disease drugs may reduce
the risk of post-stroke
dementia

Air fryers have had a recent surge

in popularity due to a growing Vegetarian and vegan diets
linked to lower levels of
awareness of healthfulness and cholesterol
continuing demand for fried foods.
People in America eat more
potatoes than any other vegetable,
with 40 percent of this total coming Type 2 diabetes: How
exercising in the afternoon
from frozen products, such as can provide benefits
french fries.

Ketamine may be as
Makers of air fryers advertise this effective in treating
appliance as a route to making and depression as
electroconvulsive therapy
enjoying fried foods without the
adverse health effects of oil-fried
foods. Air-fried foods have a lower
fat content than deep-fried foods,
which means they may be more
healthful.

However, some people are

concerned about the possible
health risks of using this new form
of cooking, primarily due to fears
over toxicity and cancer; others are
skeptical about the alleged benefits
of air-fried foods.

In this article, we look at the health

benefits and risks of using air fryers
and compare the technique with
other cooking methods.

Air fryers vs.

other cooking
methods
Manufacturers designed air fryers
to create a more healthful way to
cook deep-fried foods, not to
replace traditional, healthful
methods of preparing foods, such
as roasting and grilling.

Deep-fried foods tend to contain a

lot more fat than foods cooked in
other ways.

While 100 grams (g) of fried and

battered chicken breast contains
13.2 g of fat , compared to just
0.39 g of fat  in an oven-roasted
chicken breast, many people prefer
the flavor and texture of fried
chicken.

Since air fryers require a fraction of

the oil that deep fryers need,
people can have a more healthful
meal that has similar flavors and
textures.

This is desirable since lowering oil

intake can be hugely beneficial for
a person’s health. Scientists have
linked intakes of fat from vegetable
oil to a variety of health conditions,
including but not limited to an
increased risk of heart disease 
and higher rates of inflammation .

Using less oil is beneficial if you are

interested in reducing calorie
intake.

However, more studies are needed

on cooking with oil. The type of oil
makes a difference, as well as the
amount of omega-6
polyunsaturated fatty acids in
relation to omega-3’s, and scientists
still do not fully understand what
effects omega-6’s have on the
body.

None of this is guarantees that air-

fried chicken is more healthful than
roasted, grilled, slow-cooked, or
pan-seared chicken. There are
many other appliances capable of
providing healthful, delicious foods.
They just do not result in the fried
crispy texture that air fryers
provide.

How do air
fryers work?
Air fryers work by circulating hot air
around a food item to create the
same crispiness as in traditional
fried foods.

Air fryers accomplish this by

removing high-fat and high-calorie
oils from the cooking process.

By using just 1 tablespoon of

cooking oil rather than multiple
cups, a person can produce similar
results as they would with a deep
fryer with a fraction of the fat and
calories.

Researchers state that  air fryers

use heated air that contains fine oil
droplets to take the moisture out of
the foods. The result is a product
that has similar characteristics to
fried foods, though with
significantly lower levels of fat.
Like many other cooking methods,
air-frying triggers a chemical
reaction — the Maillard effect  —
that improves the color and flavor
of air-fried food.

Benefits of air
fryers
When used properly, air fryers offer
many healthful benefits:

Using air fryers can

promote weight loss
A higher intake of fried foods has
direct links with higher obesity risk.
This is because deep fried foods
tend to be high in fat and calories.

Switching from deep-fried foods to

air-fried foods and reducing regular
intake of unhealthful oils can
promote weight loss.

Air fryers can be safer

than deep fryers
Deep-frying foods involves heating
a large container full of scalding oil.
This can pose a safety risk. While
air fryers do get hot, there is no risk
of spilling, splashing, or accidentally
touching hot oil. People should use
frying machines carefully and
follow instructions to ensure safety.

Air fryers reduce the

risk of toxic acrylamide
formation
Frying food in oil can cause
dangerous compounds to develop,
such as acrylamide. This
compound forms in certain foods
during high-heat cooking methods,
such as deep frying.

Acrylamide may have links to the

development of some cancers,
including endometrial, ovarian,
pancreatic, breast, and
oesophageal cancer. A 2014 study

has also suggested a link
between dietary acrylamide and
kidney, endometrial, or ovarian
cancers, though the results are
uncertain.

By switching to air frying, people

can lower the risk  of having
acrylamides and polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in
their food.

Cutting down on deep-

fried foods reduces
disease risk
Cooking with oil and consuming
traditional fried foods regularly has
links to many adverse health
conditions. Replacing deep frying
with other cooking methods can
reduce a person’s risk of these
complications.

A DV ERTISEMENT

Summary
Research on the effects of air-fried
food is promising. Air fryers appear
to be a healthy alternative, offering
flavors similar to fried food with
fewer adverse effects.

Of course, simply because

someone has cooked food in an air
fryer does not mean it is more
healthful than all other food. Be
sure to include other methods of
cooking into regular dietary
routines for optimal health.

People who are interested in

buying an air fryer can find them at
supermarkets or choose between
brands online.

Other cooking options include

oven roasting, grilling, baking, and
pan-searing foods. Maintaining a
variety of foods and cooking
methods will help people obtain a
more healthful diet.

FROM OUR EXPERT

NUTRITIONISTS
 y
Healthy?
Curious if air fryers are
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Last medically reviewed on April 12, 2023

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