Air Fryer 101: Is It Healthier Than Its Counterparts? Here's What Studies Show

Air fryers have quickly become a piece of must-have kitchen equipment for anyone looking to eat healthy and guilt-free meals. However, with their growing popularity, many people are wondering if air fryers are truly healthful.

Fortunately, research shows that using an air fryer is healthier and is not just a mere decorative addition to your kitchen.

These table-top gadgets are both functional and attractive in the kitchen. They claim to reduce the fat content of dishes like fried chicken, nuggets, and french fries, among other things.

(Photo: Manik Roy via Unsplash)
French Fries

What is an Air Fryer And How Does it Work?

An air fryer operates in a seemingly easy way. According to HealthLine, instead of using heated oil, this small countertop convection oven uses hot air that flows in and around the food to generate a crispy finish.

This occurs due to a chemical event known as the Maillard reaction, which asserts that when the proteins and reducing sugars in food react with heat, the color and flavor of the food can be changed.

Air fryer makers argue that it is a healthier way to cook fried food due to the decreased fat content.

Some people may think of the air fryer as a "roided-out" version of a convection oven. That is because both appliances operate on the same premise. The main difference is that a convection oven employs only heat, but an air fryer uses both heat and air to complete the task.

Air-Fried Food Healthier Than Its Counterparts?

Food cooked in an air fryer has a similar taste and texture to food cooked in a deep fryer. The only difference is the amount of fat present in the cooked food.

ALSO READ: Air Frying: How Does It Work?

The less oil you use to cook with, the fewer calories you'll consume. When compared to deep frying, air frying can considerably reduce the amount of oil absorbed into the meal, according to EatingWell.com.

An air fryer uses so little oil compared to a deep fryer that it isn't even close. Deep fryers can consume up to 50 times more oil than air fryers, per the HealthLine report mentioned above.

According to BBC Good Food, experts did an experiment on air fryers conducted in 2015. The study discovered that using these appliances resulted in much decreased fat content in the meals. This can have a significant influence on a person's eating habits.

The study, titled "A Comparative Study of the Characteristics of French Fries Produced by Deep Fat Frying and Air Frying," is on PubMed.

Air Fried Can Reduce Weight? Maybe!

Deep-fried food not only adds fat to your meal, but also adds additional calories to your diet, which can lead to weight gain.

Those who ate more fried meals had a higher risk of obesity. This claim is according to "Intake of Fried Foods Is Associated With Obesity in the Cohort of Spanish Adults From the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition," which examined more than 33,000 Spaniards.

Switching to an air fryer is an easy approach to save calories because air-fried dishes contain less fat than deep-fried competitors.

Furthermore, air-frying reduces the formation of potentially harmful substances like acrylamide. A study, titled "Effects of Consumer Food Preparation on Acrylamide Formation," explained that this chemical pops out when carbohydrate-rich meals are cooked at high temperatures like frying.