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Although the air fryer has only recently gained popularity, it has actually been there since 2010. So what is it and what exactly does it do. Well, an air dryer refers to a countertop kitchen appliance that uses convection like air to cook or fry foods. While it produces similar results to a deep fryer, unlike the deep fryer it does not need to be filled with oil every time you want to fry food hence making it the best kitchen appliance to use if you want to enjoy healthy fried food.
Instead of using heated oil to fry foods an air fryer normally uses a fan and hot air to distribute heat for quick cooking. It takes the same duration as deep frying but does the cooking without any excess oil, mess, and other cooking hazards. Examples of foods that you can cook using air fryer include chicken wings, chicken fries, chicken and French fries.
Why you Will Love Using an air fryer
Many people generally have a love and hate relationship with fried foods. Although they wish they could avoid the calories that they get from them, they also love the crunch and taste that comes with them. That is actually where the air fryer comes in.
- As compared to its competitors an air fryer offers a low-fat version of otherwise unhealthy foods such as onion rings, fried chicken and French fries.
- Total satisfaction from the crunch and taste of healthier foods. Imaging crunching down on onion rings, brussel sprouts, kale and other veggies that you love fried but without the guilt.
- You can use an air fryer in several ways to make your daily hectic life much more manageable. Its great to use for healthy meal prep recipes and cooking.
- Whether you want to bake, fry, grill or toast the ingredients air fryer will actually do them all for you.
- Air fryers come with a variety of frying options that you can use to prepare any type of food at any given time of the day.
How air fryers work
Air fryers typically work by circulating hot air around a food item to create the same crispiness as other healthy foods. These kitchen appliances accomplish this by removing high calorie and high-fat oils from the cooking process. By using only 1 teaspoon of cooking oil instead of multiple cups, you can produce the same results as you would with deep fryer with a fraction of calories and fats.
According to studies, air fryers use heated air that contains fine droplets to remove the moisture from the foods. The result is a food product that has the same characteristics as to fried food though with significantly low lower levels of fat. Like many other cooking methods, air frying also triggers a chemical reaction that improves the color and flavor of air fried food.
Methods of Cooking
There are several ways to use air fryer from roasting, baking and even grilling. Below are some of the ways that you might like to understand better about this little powerhouse frying machine..
Grilling
The good thing about using an air fryer to grill is that you do not have to continuously flip the ingredients for them to get equal amounts of heat. You just need to shake the pan halfway through the heating session. The hot air will then flow around the inside of the appliance while heating up all sides of the food. Since most air fryers come with either grill pan of grill layer you an easily insert and remove the food from the fryer.
Baking
Although this is something that you don’t hear every day it’s quite possible. This is because you can always use the provided baking pan to prepare goodies such as brownies, muffins, bread, and cupcakes. Whether you want to make homemade good or bake preheated food, the air fryer will allow you to do everything that you want to do all. Baking with air fryer usually takes between 15 minutes to 30 minutes.
Roasting
Are you too busy to prepare dinner? Don’t worry. With your air fryer, you can always roast your veggies and meat so you can enjoy a perfect dinner. Not only will the air fryer produce quality roasted food but it will also allow you to roast your food faster than the oven and much faster than an crock pot.
Five tips for using an air fryer
- Shake it. As the food fries, make sure you open the air fryer and shake the foods. If you are looking for the best results ensure that you rotate them every 10 minutes.
- Don’t overcrowd the fryer. Make sure you give your food enough space so air can circulate well inside. This is actually what will give you crispy results.
- Use food spray. A light sprays your foods with cooking spray or add some little salt so that they do not stick on the basket.
- Keep them dry. Before cooking the foods make sure you pad them dry. Similarly, when cooking high-fat foods make sure you empty the fat from the bottom of the pan periodically.
- Master other cooking methods. Apart from frying ensure that you know other cooking methods.
Is An air fryer healthy?
As compared to regular frying air frying is definitely healthier. By reducing the oil you are cutting a ton of fat and calories. Since the cooking preparations do vary from one machine to another the exact amount is hard to point. Plus, with an air fryer, you can always make a lot of veggie-heavy recipes tastes just as satisfying as an order of fries. By most measures, air frying is a lot healthier than frying in oil as it reduces calories by up to 80%.
This cooking method might also cut down on some of the other bad effects of cooking oil. For instance, the reaction that happens when you fry potatoes and other starchy foods lead to the production of a chemical known as acrylamide which according to research can cause cancer. One study shows that air frying lowers the quantity of acrylamide by almost 90%. So this means that using an air fryer is much healthier.
According to studies, using air frying food can also promote weight loss. Studies have also shown that higher intake of fried food always had a direct link to with high chances of obesity. This is because deep-fried food tends to contain high amounts of calories and fats. Switching from deep-fried foods to air fried foods and minimizing regular intake of unhealthful oil can significantly promote weight loss.
Our Recommendations on The Best Air Fryer
There are a number of air fryers on the market. We believe the best air fryer on the market today is the Cosori air fryer. Check out why below.
COSORI air fryer’s 5.8- quart square nonstick basket can fit a 5 lbs-6 lbs whole chicken and serves a family of 3-4 people.
There are 11 functions in 1-Steak, Poultry, Seafood, Shrimp, Bacon, Frozen Foods, French fries, Vegetables, Root Vegetables, Bread, Desserts, Preheat. Just tap and go!
There is a removable nonstick coated basket which is dishwasher safe, PFOA-free & BPA-free. It takes up limited space on your counter top which is another big plus for us.
This unit comes with 100 original, delicious & easy recipes you can try out. Fried chicken is my families top choice. The cooking time is faster than conventional oven, but with crispier and tastier results. It also has a shake reminder function which is handy for items you want to ensure a coating of crispiness.
Read the Review and Buy on Amazon Here
Conclusion
Although studies on the effect of air-dried foods are still limited, experts generally recommend that people should minimize their consumption of fried foods. As compared to deep-frying using an air fryer can significantly reduce the number of calories, fats, and other harmful compounds in the food.
If you are able to cook food to your satisfaction while using reduced amounts of oil, this will make a significant different on your diet and overall health. However, just like deep-fried foods you need to eat these foods in moderation.
Air fryers are a much better alternative to deep fryers, and a much better option if you want to keep your health on the check. Be sure to maintain a variety of cooking options such as baking, roasting, grilling, and pan-searing if you want to obtain a more healthful diet as well and enjoy experimenting.
You might just come to realize how much you like veggies when cooked using an air fryer!