The air fryer has been around for at least a decade. However, it only has been gaining attention in recent years. Is it worth all the hype?
Let's start with what an air fryer is. Essentially, its a smaller, more powerful convection oven. These countertop appliances are mainly used as an alternative to deep frying. Food is heated in hot air that may or may not contain tiny oil droplets, depending on whether or not a small amount of oil is used. Rapid circulation of hot air (like a convection oven, but more intense) helps dehydrate and crisp up food. In short, the air fryer promises to make foods taste and feel like fried foods without absorbing extra fat calories from oil. 1
Air fryers versus other methods
Air fryers aren't studied nearly as much as other cooking methods, such as boiling, roasting, microwaving, grilling, and so on. We look forward to what comparative studies will reveal about nutrient preservation in air frying compared to other cooking methods.
However, since the air fryer uses a similar heating method to the convection oven (circulating hot air), it is expected that the food will end up with a similar nutritional profile. This is because cooking methods that use only a small amount of oil (or even water, such as in steaming) and that require shorter exposure to heat tend to preserve more nutrients.
One thing seems to be quite clear, though. If we compare air frying to deep frying, air fryers win by a landslide. A significantly less amount of oil is used or absorbed. In fact, air fryer brands suggest that foods can be prepared without any oil at all. Still, most users prefer to use just a small amount (from a small spritz to max 1 tablespoon of oil) to enhance color and flavor.
This might not mean much to someone who isn't tempted by fried foods in the first place. However, for those who struggle to reduce their intake of deep fried foods, this may be a useful strategy.
Aside from excess fat, another danger associated with frying foods is the possible formation of a harmful chemical, acrylamide. Acrylamide is currently classified as "likely to be carcinogenic to humans" by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). 2
Acrylamide is formed in high-carbohydrate foods during high temperature cooking, such as baking, roasting, or frying. High levels are especially found when applying these methods to potatoes.
One study found acrylamide was reduced by up to 90% in air-frying compared to deep frying. 3
Again, we await more research on air fryers as they only recently have been gaining more attention both in commerce and in lab studies.
Interestingly, since less oil or no oil is needed, there is a reduced chance of any chemical alteration in the oil when it is exposed to heat. The European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology reported in a comparative study of deep frying and air frying that there was less fat oxidation with air frying, especially when olive oil was used (instead of sunflower, soybean, or canola oil). The less degradation in fat while cooking, the better. This helps prevent or reduce the possible production of inflammatory compounds. 4
Word of Caution
Of course, portion control is still necessary even with foods prepared in an air fryer. Air frying food doesn't mean it can now be eaten in unlimited amounts. Also, air fried foods still need to be balanced with other nutrient-dense foods to make a balanced meal. The benefit is that there are less fat calories per bite, which can help reduce overall calorie intake, if needed.
What can you cook in an air fryer?
Many foods you would normally prepare in an oven are likely okay to cook in an air fryer, from oven-fried or traditionally deep fried foods to roasted vegetables (and even roasted chickpeas). They can even cook fish fillets or baked goods.
So is an air fryer worth the counterspace of your kitchen? Well, it really depends on your needs and goals (and budget, too). While we do wait for more studies, several studies we already have on hand already point to some definite "pros" and few, if any, cons to using an air fyer.
References
1. Teruel, M., Gordon, M., Linares, M. B., Garrido, M. D., Ahromrit, A., & Niranjan, K. (2015). A comparative study of the characteristics of French fries produced by deep fat frying and air frying. Journal of food science, 80(2), E349–E358. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.12753
2. https://iris.epa.gov/ChemicalLanding/ HYPERLINK "https://iris.epa.gov/ChemicalLanding/%26substance_nmbr=286" HYPERLINK "https://iris.epa.gov/ChemicalLanding/%26substance_nmbr=286" HYPERLINK "https://iris.epa.gov/ChemicalLanding/%26substance_nmbr=286"& HYPERLINK "https://iris.epa.gov/ChemicalLanding/%26substance_nmbr=286" HYPERLINK "https://iris.epa.gov/ChemicalLanding/%26substance_nmbr=286" HYPERLINK "https://iris.epa.gov/ChemicalLanding/%26substance_nmbr=286"substance_nmbr=286
3. Sansano, M., Juan-Borrás, M., Escriche, I., Andrés, A., & Heredia, A. (2015). Effect of pretreatments and air-frying, a novel technology, on acrylamide generation in fried potatoes. Journal of food science, 80(5), T1120–T1128. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.12843
4. Santos, C.S.P., Cunha, S.C. and Casal, S. (2017), Deep or air frying? A comparative study with different vegetable oils. Eur. J. Lipid Sci. Technol., 119: 1600375. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejlt.201600375