Air fryers are a quick and easy way to cook a variety of foods, from fries to fish, and they might also improve your home’s air quality. A study from November, published in the journal Indoor Air, highlighted that air frying results in lower indoor air pollution compared to traditional methods like pan frying, boiling, and others. Breathing in pollutants is linked to health issues such as airway irritation and heart problems.
Professor Christian Pfrang from the University of Birmingham was part of the research team. He emphasized the need for public awareness about how different cooking methods impact indoor air quality. The COVID-19 lockdowns highlighted in-home pollutants, making this study more relevant.
Pfrang and his colleagues used advanced tools in a research kitchen to carry out their experiments, testing five cooking methods: boiling, pan frying, stir-frying, deep frying, and air frying. They used chicken breasts seasoned with salt and either water or canola oil, measuring pollutants with precise instruments.
The study showed air frying was the best in terms of particulate matter, key indoor air pollutants. For pan frying, peak concentrations were 92.9 micrograms per cubic meter, stir-frying showed 26.7, deep frying was 7.7, boiling was 0.7, and air frying only 0.6, almost indistinguishable from normal air. VOCs also showed similar results, with air frying having the lowest levels at 20 ppb compared to other methods.
The findings suggest that switching to air frying can significantly reduce indoor air pollution. Air fryers use hot air to quickly and evenly cook food, sometimes with a small amount of oil for a crispier texture. This is far less than the oil used in traditional frying, reducing air emissions and smoke.
Notably, the air fryer’s design prevents particles from escaping into the air, unlike open frying methods where oil particles can accumulate on surfaces. Indoor air quality often gets overshadowed by outdoor pollution concerns, but considering we spend a lot of time indoors, it’s crucial to understand and manage it. Cooking, particularly, is a major source of indoor particulates.
Poor indoor air quality can harm the lungs and heart, with links to health issues like heart attacks, asthma, and respiratory problems. While high levels of particulate matter are concerning, VOCs also pose health risks, ranging from mild irritations to serious illnesses.
Using an air fryer not only benefits air quality but also offers dietary advantages. It allows for crispy foods without excess oil, resulting in lower-calorie dishes and reduced heated oil compounds. This method helps limit saturated fats, which are tied to health risks like heart blockages and certain cancers.
Air fryers vary in price, from expensive models costing hundreds to affordable ones around $25. If you’re interested in trying air frying, start with simple recipes like vegetables or a healthy dessert with cinnamon-coated apples or pears, air-fried for a crisp finish.
