Kitchens have remained almost the same for the past few decades. While the visuals have changed, they have almost the same set up, with appliances working almost identical to previous models.
Throughout this time, there’s been relatively little innovation. Something unique that’s been gaining popularity in the past decade or so, however, has been the air fryer. Despite the appliance’s growing appeal, many people still don’t know much about it.
That could mean that you don’t know what an air fryer actually is and how it works. As a result, you could be missing out on its benefits. It could be your next must-have kitchen appliance, however.
What Is An Air Fryer?
As you might expect from the name, an air fryer is a version of a typical fryer that uses air instead of grease. By circulating hot air around your food, it gives it a crisp texture while also thoroughly cooking foods like meat, vegetables, and chips.
In recent years, many people have been using them to make turkey burgers, among other dishes. When it comes to how to make turkey burgers in an air fryer, it’s surprisingly easy, just like the majority of other meals.
While certain processes may be dictated by the exact model that you have, it’ll be relatively similar to a standard fryer. As you might expect, however, it can be much more versatile, as there are many more dishes that can be cooked in it compared to its alternative.
Are There Any Benefits To An Air Fryer?
The first thing you’ll want to know about an air fryer is what kind of benefits it offers. Thankfully, there are several of these, with the largest being that it makes healthier food. This can be seen in several ways, most notably the reduced fat and calorie content.
That could make them a perfect choice for anybody who wants to try to lose weight. The taste of the air-fried food should be just as nice, if not better, than you’re used to. As such, it’s a win-win for you.
Weight Loss
As highlighted, air-fried food can be lower in calories and fat content than traditionally-fried food. That could provide a benefit to anybody who wants to lose weight. That’s in stark contrast to deep-fried food, which can be pretty high in calories and other unhealthy ingredients.
If you want to lose weight but don’t want to completely cut out fried food, then an air fryer will be the better recommended choice. Naturally, it’s preferred that you cut it out completely, although everybody deserves a cheat day every once in a while.
Some reports suggest that air-fried food has about half the amount of fat and calories as their deep-fried counterparts. That could be enough to encourage anyone to switch. Why not get creative with it?
Decrease Harmful Compounds
Fat and calories aren’t the only harmful things in some foods. Others can contain the likes of acrylamide and other compounds. In specific doses, especially over the long term, these can have harmful implications on your health.
These chemicals will typically be found in foods high in carbohydrates. During the deep-frying process, carbohydrates can be turned into these compounds. Some of these chemicals have been referred to as carcinogenic, which will put many people off them.
Switching to an air fryer, however, should eradicate this issue. As a result, your meals should be much healthier overall.
Risks
While air fryers typically make healthier food than traditionally fried meals, they can come with their risks. If you’re planning on picking up the appliance, then you’ll need to be aware of these.
For example, some studies have claimed that people who eat greater amounts of air-fried food can be at greater risk of negative heart conditions. Alongside this is that the food could be more associated with certain types of cancers, notably oral and prostate cancer.
That being said, the majority of these risks are in comparison to eating food that hasn’t been fried. Having a balanced and healthy diet should minimize each of these. If you do choose to fry a meal, then an air fryer may be the better-recommended option.
Wrapping Up
An air fryer can be one of the more versatile appliances that you can pick up. It’s also one of the healthier options that you can pick up. Compared to a traditional deep fryer, they can reduce calories, fat content, and other harmful compounds from your food.
That should be done without a reduction in taste, so you’ll still find yourself loving every meal that you cook. You should only enjoy food from an air fryer as part of a healthy and balanced diet, however, with fresher, non-fried ingredients being vital.