Are you all above the hoopla of Air fryers and want to know if Air drying Healthy? If you are interested even a little bit in cooking then you surely must have heard about air fryers. They are among the latest innovations in cooking appliances that have taken everyone's kitchen by storm.
Even the ones who don't know how to boil water want to get their hands on an air fryer. And if you believe the experts, an air fryer is good for your health too!
Just what is so special about this kitchen appliance? And most of all, why is it called an air fryer?
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What is an air fryer?
Air fryer got its name for the unique way it cooks food. That's right, it actually uses hot air in its cooking process.
An air fryer has a fan inside it that circulates this hot air around so that the food gets cooked.
It is very similar to how a convection oven works, although the air fryer can also roast food with its hot air, something a convection oven cannot do.
How does an air fryer work?
Now that you know an air fryer uses hot air to cook your food, you definitely must be wondering how it actually works. It is actually not that impossible as it sounds.
What your food needs to cook is heat, and hot air the air fryer provides the necessary optics to make it functional. But let us not confuse you anymore with vague explanations.
To understand the air fryer more, let us just break down its cooking process into simple steps.
The air fryer has a cavity space where you place your food that needs to be cooked. This cavity space has a wire basket, which is open on all sides.
The open sides of the wire basket ensure the hot air would pass through the food evenly. This ensures your food comes out crispy and quick.
You have to make sure to apply at least a little bit of oil to make sure the cooking process takes place. The hot air needs oil to get the browning effect on your food.
Is an air fryer healthy?
There are countless reasons you should consider getting an air fryer, but the biggest reason is how good it is for your health.
And don't just take our word for it. Food experts like Lee Holmes, a cookbook author hailing from Sydney also praised the health winning features of the air fryer. But what is it about air fryers that makes them so health-friendly?
The first straightforward health benefit with an air fryer is that you would be using it to cook homemade food that you usually buy from outside.
This way you will be staying away from processed foods that contain high levels of sodium and trans fats. Do you have a craving for French fries? Then forget your local McDonald's and instead pull out your air fryer!
With your air fryer's convection style cooking you'll get fries so crispy you'll never want to have them from anywhere else! Also, try these Coconut Shrimps in the Air fryer with Pineapple Chili Sauce or Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple Salsa (just 10-minutes) or BBQ Pineapple Chicken Kabobs - Oven / Air Fryer / Grill or Parmesan Zucchini Fries in Air Fryer or Buffalo Chicken Taquitos (Air Fryer & Baked) or Extra Crispy Cajun Dry Rub Chicken Wings in Air Fryer. These are all so popular dishes which are sold outside but now you can make them at home and that too in the Air Fryer.
The second healthy feature of the air fryer is how little it uses oil. All you need to do is apply a brush of oil to your food and set it inside your air fryer to cook.
What you get in return would be crispy brown perfection. Even recipes that need deep frying such as fried chicken or French fries can be perfectly made with your trusty air fryer.
Not only would you get an even more crispy and less oily version of it but you'll also be eating fewer calories and fat!
According to nutritionists like Sandy Younan Brikho, reducing fat intake in your diet and managing your daily calories can go a long way in preventing many health conditions, even dangerous ones like heart diseases.
On another plus side, you'll also be able to achieve weight loss by reducing food items that use too much oil. So if you are on a diet but still want to eat your deep-fried treats without feeling guilty, an air fryer just might be the answer for you! Try these Blueberry Donuts in Air Fryer (without Yeast) or Donuts in Air-Fryer Without Yeast | Just 4-Ingredients or Air Fryer Firecracker Shrimp or Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges in Air Fryer or Air Fryer Bagels or Keto Cauliflower Tater Tots | Air Fryer & Baked (without Panko Breadcrumbs) or Air Fryer Crispy Potatoes - Breakfast Potatoes in Air Fryer or Air Fryer Chickpeas or Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes
What about other advantages?
The air fryer doesn't just stop at making your food healthy and tasty. It comes with a whole other set of benefits that will surely convince you to add it to your kitchen to make your daily life so much easier.
The air fryer comes with a timer, temperature controls, and automated on/off features. This allows you to have a completely hands-off cooking experience.
Just prepare your ingredients, brush it with oil and place it inside your air fryer with the time and temperature set. All you need to do now is to sit back and relax while your air fryer works its hot air magic.
You don't even need to worry about manually switching it off! With its automatic shutting-off system, your air fryer would immediately stop once the set time is finished and your food is fully cooked and ready.
If you are a college student, an office workaholic, or just busy parents, an air fryer will save you many precious minutes with its quick cooking time.
Due to its compact shape and barely any prepping necessary, your air fryer can cook you any recipe in half the time. No more waiting to hear the oil or butter.
Just directly place your oiled-up ingredients in your air fryer and you'll have your piping hot meal in no time!
Isn't cleaning up the dishes after having a good meal such a bummer? Who wants to scrub the pot after having the perfect fried chicken for dinner? Well, no more of that once you get an air fryer!
An air fryer first off so small it will barely take you time to clean it up. And even then you just need to clean its cooking basket! Which are also non-stick and friendly to all dishwashers. Doesn't the idea of buying an air fryer seem so tempting now?
What can you cook in an air fryer?
While an air fryer comes with a multitude of advantages, it cannot cook all recipes with perfection. So you need to know which recipes are the best for your air fryer.
Don't worry though, the number of recipes your air fryer can do is very high, and the number just keeps on growing each day as food lovers and experts alike keep on experimenting with their air fryers.
You too can make up your own recipe for your air fryer, but first, let's learn the basic ingredients that will work well with your air fryer!
- Proteins that are on the leaner side like chicken, fish, steak. Try my Crispy Honey Sesame Shrimp in Air Fryer or Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple Salsa (just 10-minutes) or Keto Chinese Lemon Chicken in Air Fryer (Crispy - without Breading!) or Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple Salsa (just 10-minutes)BBQ Pineapple Chicken Kabobs - Oven / Air Fryer / Grill or Air Fryer Chicken Breasts - How to Cook Chicken Breasts in Air Fryer or Tandoori Chicken Wings (in Air Fryer & in Oven)
- Vegetables that are low on water content like broccoli, sprouts and potatoes. or Zucchini Fries or Cauliflower Wings or Korean Cauliflower Wings or Sesame Cauliflower or Sweet Potato Fries or Fried Green Beans
- Anything that doesn't have too much liquid content can be made in your air fryer.
- Baked treats that are relatively small in size and dry in texture can be made in the air fryer. Recipes like cookies, cinnamon rolls are good to bake in your air fryer. Try my Blueberry Donuts in Air Fryer (without Yeast) or Donuts in Air-Fryer Without Yeast | Just 4-Ingredients
- Leftovers that are still not soggy can be heated in your air fryer. This will also prevent your leftovers from getting soggy!
As you can see, there are plenty of options available for you to make in your air fryer. At the same time, it's also important to know what not to cook in your air fryer. Knowing this will ensure your air fryer stays protected.
Any food that requires a lot of liquid to cook should be kept away from your air fryer. If you want to cook rice, use a rice cooker, not an air fryer.
Avoid making battered food items in your air fryer. This will not cook properly in it and also cause a mess inside the cooking basket.
Don't use an air fryer to cook tough and fatty cuts of meat. They will not only ooze too much juice inside the basket but also not cook thoroughly.
Air fryers can be expensive but for many, but the benefits they come with makes it a worthy investment. Not only can you make your cooking time easier and more efficient with your compact-sized and quick air fryer, but you can also prevent any future medical bills by eating oil-free food with your air fryer. So if you want to eat healthily but not lose out on taste, consider getting an air fryer!
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