Is Air Fried Food Really Healthier? | Talking Point | Full Episode
o be fair, an air fryer won’t perfectly simulate the texture of French fries cooked in a vat of hot grease. But it will get you closer to that crispy outcome than baking or steaming your foods will. “Air-frying creates that great crispy texture you’re looking for, without any oil,” Zumpano says.
What’s wrong with oil? Even healthier oils, including olive oil and avocado oil, contain a lot of calories. Gram for gram, fats (such as cooking oil) contain more than twice the calories of protein or carbohydrates.
When you’re frying food, those calories can add up quickly. “Deep-frying uses a tremendous amount of oil, and even pan-frying meat or vegetables requires a fair amount,” Zumpano says.
Deep-fried foods can also be high in trans fats. Trans fats are partially hydrogenated oils (liquid fats made solid, like vegetable shortening) that can raise LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) and increase your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Fried foods from restaurants are especially likely to have been bubbled in oils containing trans fats.
Are Air Fryers Healthy?