Is there a way to get your French fry fix and still enjoy good health? Why yes! Yes there is. Meet the “air fryer.” Air fryers can crisp up your favorite vegetables (and meat too) while requiring the addition of very little oil. An air fryer could be a game changer if you’re seeking a way to healthify the way you fry!
Why You Should Try to Air Fry
While an occasional deep fried meal probably won’t kill you, eating fried foods frequently can cause significant health problems. Never mind pimples that pop up out of nowhere after eating greasy food. Most issues associated with frying are beyond skin deep and pose serious health risks.
Fried foods, especially deep fried ones, are often dipped in batter before cooking. This might add crisp texture to the food, but it also packs extra calories into your meal. If a food isn’t battered before frying, it will absorb a fair amount of extra fat when it cooks. This also increases the calorie and fat gram count. In addition, the type of oil the food absorbs while frying will make a difference. Many cooking oils (including, but not limited to canola, soybean, corn, sesame and sunflower) contain trans-fat that is difficult for your body to process. Some studies indicate that too much trans-fat can lead to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and/or obesity.
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A better choice is to cook with olive oil or with another type of oil that is largely composed of monounsaturated and saturated fat, like avocado or coconut. In tandem with that, using less oil can make your food healthier. You can cut back on 70-80 percent of the oil you typically use to fry a favorite food if you forego deep frying and use an air fryer instead.
Take Your Veggies to the Next Level- Veggie Fryer
Air fryers are countertop appliances. They come in various sizes. To use one, place lightly oiled vegetables or meat inside and turn it on. You do have to tend it by occasionally flipping the food. Air circulates around the food and “fries” it. Some foods crisp up better than others. But, the reviews are back on this newish appliance, and many say it renders some simple-to-make and good-tasting French fries, squash fries, sweet potato fries and much, much more. Once you get accustomed to using it, you can make entire meals with the thing. Greatist has put together a list of 25 air fryer recipes. They range from French toast and shishito peppers to coconut shrimp and taquitos!
If you think you’re ready to give air frying a try, first read through these buying tips and reviews put together by aircookers. In general, moderately priced fryers work fine and don’t require special accessories. There are many brands to choose from and various capacities. Determine how large of a fryer you need and do your research to see how this countertop appliance might fit into your kitchen and your wellness plan.
