In more and more kitchens we see the deep fryer giving way to a new Airfryer. This small hot air oven can do the same thing as a traditional fryer, only the food becomes less fatty and therefore healthier.
At least, that’s what is believed. Does the fact that you ingest less fat actually make the air fryer healthier?
Is an Airfryer healthier?
The Airfryer is wildly popular. Many people apply the Airfryer in the kitchen with the premise of eating healthier. An Airfryer has a big difference from deep frying in terms of how the food is prepared.
No oil or fat is needed in the Airfryer, you only need to add oil to foods in the Airfryer when it comes to processed foods such as raw chicken, for example.
Airfryer gives the ”grill effect”
In the Airfryer, hot air circulates throughout the appliance at a constant temperature. By doing this, you create a kind of ”grill effect” and because of this, croquettes frikandellen, fries and other snacks still get a crispy crust.
Many people like a crispy crust on fried snacks, and the Airfryer creates that effect very well.
The crispy crust
This crispy crust is created by the fusion of proteins and sugars when food is heated. This also happens with regular frying, fried or grilled food. The nice smell and crackle of that crispy crust in your mouth provides enjoyment of the food. But is the hot air fryer really healthier?
You don’t necessarily need oil or frying fat to prepare food from the hot air fryer, this means that it is indeed true that relative to the deep fryer, food contains much less fat.
More preserved vitamins
In addition, preparation in the hot air fryer has another advantage. Due to the fact that Airfryers use hot air, vitamins and minerals are more likely to be preserved. So in these respects, the hot air fryer is a lot healthier compared to the deep fryer.
Less acrylamide
Foods from the Airfryer will contain less acrylamide. This is a substance that can form in small amounts when starchy products such as pre-fried fries without water are heated above 200 degrees Celsius.
The substance is released anyway whether you put something in the fryer or the Airfryer, but the acrylamide content seems to be lower when frying fries and snacks from the hot-air fryer. Too much acrylamide can be bad for health, so frying fries and snacks can also be healthier with the hot air fryer.
Less rapidly rising blood sugar levels
Another advantage of using the Airfryer is that you will suffer less from rising blood sugar levels. Normally, our blood sugar rises very much after eating fries from the traditional fryer.
By frying fries and snacks in a good Airfryer, you will have less sugar to break down.
It’s important to stay realistic, though. It is certainly possible to have healthier fries and snacks with an Airfryer, and in this respect the Airfryer is more than worth it. We just have to say that snacks still remain snacks, so they are not suddenly healthy when you switch from hot oil to hot air.
Fresh fries and pre-fried fries always contain fat
Fresh fries, pre-fried fries and almost all snacks are already prepared with fat because they are pre-fried. These have been cauterized, so to speak, which means that fat has been added that already can’t get out. Although the hot air fryer does ensure that you consume less fat compared to the deep fryer because you do not need frying fat or oil.
Less fat
So it seems that in terms of eating less fat, the deep fryer cannot be avoided. Although, there can be a big difference in the amount of fat. This is true for just French fries, but also for other products. Always read the packaging carefully!
There are special snacks made for the Airfryer, these generally contain less fat than traditional deep-frying snacks.
Snacks especially for the Airfryer can also be found simply in the supermarket. Only, it can’t be wrong to compare the number of calories and grams of fat with other options you have.
What are the differences?
For example, the number of kcal frikandel and kcal croquette is less for the Airfryer than for the deep fryer. For a frikandel, the difference is bigger, which is easily around 50 calories, for kcal croquette, the difference is about half as much.
Although you still notice the general difference between the deep fryer and the Airfryer since 75% less fat is used in the preparation of the snacks. In this respect, an Airfryer is healthy if you compare it to the deep fryer.
For example, a bag of fries specifically for the Airfryer contains around 8 grams of fat per 100 grams, while a bag of pre-fried fries for the oven contains only 3 grams per 100 grams. Basically, it is perfectly possible to prepare snacks and fries for the oven in the Airfryer, you just have to let them sit a little longer.
Fish from the Airfryer
In addition to just fries, there are other good recipes for the Airfryer. For example, you can also prepare fish in the Airfryer. Via is quite an excellent option. By frying fish, it retains less of its fatty acids, which will dissolve in the fat of the fryer.
Self-fried fish from the hot air fryer is therefore not a bad idea at all. It is much healthier than the same product from the deep fryer.
Fish from the deep fryer less calories?
Funny thing to tell is that the calorie count does decrease when you eat fish from the deep fryer. This is because the fish loses some of its fats during the frying process, therefore the calorie count is lower.
For people who count calories, this seems like a favorable outcome, although that is incorrect. In fact, the fatty acids in fish are essential for a healthy lifestyle, and fish loses just that in the fryer.
Vegetables and meats
In addition, the hot air fryer is also good for preparing vegetables and meats. For example, you can prepare cauliflower just fine in the Airfryer if you like fried cauliflower. That’s something different from the pan!
However, you cannot cook all meats in the Airfryer, but if it can be prepared on the barbecue then you can also cook it in the Airfryer. This way, food often contains less fat.
Large portions
Whether you can also prepare large portions depends on the products you put in the Airfryer. Large and small pieces of meat, for example, require different temperatures, otherwise the meat will not cook properly or it will burn.
With vegetables, it is usually not such a problem; both large and small portions can be prepared there.
Easier to clean
A clear advantage of frying products from the Airfryer is that it is easier to keep clean. French fries or snacks such as croquettes and frikandells that are fried usually cause a lot of cleaning.
You will have to change the oil once in a while before you can fry snacks decently again. With the Airfryer, you only have to clean the basket after preparing the products.
Airfryer saves money!
In addition, with an Airfryer you also save money. Anyone who has ever fried French fries knows that frying fat is anything but cheap. If you want to keep frying those fries in the fryer. So the Airfryer also saves you a lot of money in that area if we compare it to the deep fryer.
XL Airfryer
An XL airfryer can be a good option if you live with a large family in the house, or if you expect to use the Airfryer mainly for no larger company.
An XL can cook up to one more serving at a time than the traditional version.
You can also choose a combi microwave, which is an airfryer, microwave and convection oven in one.
A regular Airfryer prepares up to 4 servings, so an XL prepares one more serving at a time. That may not seem like much, but especially if you’re hosting a larger party, it makes a much bigger difference than you think. With an XL Airfryer, you can quickly put something tasty on the table for a large party!
Are products from the Airfryer really healthier? It depends. French fries or another snack from the Airfryer that you would normally prepare in the fryer are certainly healthier, or rather less unhealthy.
You can also prepare vegetables and meat in the Airfryer. Only it depends on the preparation method whether it is actually healthier or not.