You can’t eat fried, it’s a healthy eating axiom. And all deep-fried, crispy crust is an absolute evil. But recent studies have shown that some foods become healthier from this method of cooking.
Frying is not safe unless the food is fried in animal fats or if vegetable oil is used repeatedly. If the oil is not overheated and cooked only with fresh sunflower or olive oil, the fryer is even more useful.
Of course, you should not abuse the fried oil. But 200 grams of potatoes cooked in good oil does not exceed the caloric value of cooked potatoes. Moreover, the fryer allows you to preserve all the vitamins and minerals contained in the food.
It’s all about the butter. For good, you need to make cold-pressed olive oil. You can pasteurize and fry vegetables in it. And then potatoes, tomatoes, aubergines, and pumpkins are saturated with phenolic compounds.
They have antioxidant properties. And they, in turn, reduce the risk of many diseases. Other vegetable preparation methods, such as cooking, do not increase the number of phenolic compounds.
This table shows an example of prepared potatoes in different ways. The advantages of air-fried food are obvious.
It’s not just potatoes that can be cooked in the air fryer. Mushrooms, vegetables, meat, and fish are all quickly and deliciously deep-fried at home. When you cook food, most of the nutrients remain in the water and when fried, they simply burn.
Food immersed in boiling oil gets crusted very quickly. It seals all the nutrients and flavors inside. The cooking process takes only a short time – 5-15 minutes.
Some people are frightened by the fact that too much oil is needed for the fryer – 1.5-2 liters. In fact, it can be used 10-20 times if the oil is handled correctly. The oil does not even have to be drained every time, the main thing is to close the lid tightly.
The secret to reusable oil is the following. Vegetable oil becomes dangerous for health only after overheating above 200°C.
When this temperature is reached, the oil starts to burn. It also releases carcinogenic substances, which are deadly. If you cook at home in a fryer, there is no overheating. No fryer heats oil above 190°C. Besides, you can independently adjust the temperature to within 1°C.
Keep in mind that only high-quality refined oil is suitable for deep-frying. It does not foam or smoke. You should not mix different kinds of oil. It is not necessary to add fresh oil to the already used oil. If the oil in the fryer is not enough, it must be changed completely.
Even if the fryer does not have a special filter for cleaning the oil, you can filter it yourself. The used oil is poured into the pan. The bottom of the colander is lined with gauze or filtered paper.
Through this improvised filter, the oil is poured into a washed fryer. The gauze or paper will hold up any leftovers and you can use the oil again.