Is baking in the Airfryer really healthier?
Say wine, snacks or haute cuisine and the gourmands at online food magazine FavorFlav know where to drink, how to eat it and what to cook. This time our cheffies serve you: Is baking in the Airfryer really healthier?
The Airfryer can now be found in countless households and has replaced the deep fryer in many cases. Not that everyone used to throw the carrots they now crisp roast in the Airfryer into the fryer before, but you get what we mean when you look at the extensive range of Airfryer bitterballen and fries in the supermarket's freezer section. And of course, people also make ‘regular’ meals with it. But is it really such a wonder device when it comes to health?
When you prepare food in an Airfryer, it cooks because a strong fan circulates heat. Many people find that air frying comes close to the taste of fried food without the need for pots full of boiling oil. But are we fooling ourselves and is it really that healthy? Here's what some dietitians say about it:
Little fat
According to dietitian Bansari Acharya, air frying preserves many nutrients that would be lost when frying due to the heat of the oil. The risk of heart disease would be reduced because there are fewer trans and saturated fats involved than with frying. Oil is not even necessary when air frying, although it is recommended to use a little oil to lightly grease the food so it doesn't stick. Handy guide: all types of oil in a row!
You can't do without
Additionally, says Gisela Bouvier, you definitely need fat in your diet for energy and hormone regulation, among other things. According to Jaclyn London, you generally retain a lot of nutritional value with air frying without significantly increasing the caloric value of food, as long as you don't use too much oil.
Potato 2.0
There are even products that become more nutritious in an air fryer, says Ella Davar. Through hot air cooking, the starch in sweet potatoes, corn, and legumes becomes easier to digest for many people. That promises something if you want to make loaded sweet potatoes in the Airfryer.
Bad boys
But watch out for AGEs, warns Karen Smith. AGEs are Advanced Glycation End-products, which can be translated as advanced glycation end products. It is a collective term for proteins that have been irreversibly damaged because sugar groups are anchored to them and the protein has degenerated. They cause damage in the body and accelerate the aging process. They mainly occur in animal food sources with a high protein and fat content, such as meat and cheese, and are primarily formed by exposure to high temperatures, regardless of which cooking method is used.
Plant-based is your friend
Not surprisingly, dietitians recommend preparing mainly vegetables and healthy carbohydrates in the Airfryer. Smith says one of her favorite dishes from the device is breaded tofu. Just cut it into cubes, roll it in seasoned panko, and you don't even need oil. Asian dipping sauce on the side and you're done. And that tip we gave you earlier on how to make tofu that actually tastes good works just as well with an Airfryer!
In short, use your common sense and find balance. A time or two Snickers popcorn of cheese bitterballen from the Airfryer should be fine, but to stay healthy, you naturally fill it more often with tasty things like sweet potatoes and legumes. Good and healthy snack tip: crispy chickpeas, which you can prepare just as well in the Airfryer as in the oven.
Source: HuffPost
