Are air fryers a healthy cooking option?

From the Guidelines

Air fryers can be a healthier cooking option compared to deep frying, but they're not inherently "healthy" or "unhealthy," and their health benefits depend on the food being cooked, with whole foods like fresh vegetables, lean proteins, or homemade versions of typically fried foods being the best choices. According to the most recent and highest quality study, 1, methods of water-based cooking processes, such as boiling and steaming, as well as shorter cooking times and lower cooking temperatures are recommended to achieve the goal of reducing dietary contribution to the body's advanced glycation/lipoxidation end products pool. Air fryers use significantly less oil than traditional deep fryers, reducing calorie and fat content in foods, which makes them a better choice for people watching their fat intake or trying to reduce calories. However, what you cook in the air fryer matters most - processed foods like frozen chicken nuggets or french fries will still contain their original sodium, preservatives, and other additives regardless of cooking method.

Some key points to consider when using an air fryer for healthy cooking include:

• Choosing whole foods like fresh vegetables, lean proteins, or homemade versions of typically fried foods
• Limiting consumption of processed meats and red meats
• Preparing meat, poultry, and fish by baking, broiling, or poaching rather than by frying or charbroiling
• Eating a variety of vegetables and fruits each day
• Emphasizing whole grains instead of refined grain products
• Limiting consumption of creamy sauces, dressings, and dips with vegetables and fruits

It's also important to note that air frying is just one cooking method, and a healthy diet requires balance and variety in both foods and cooking techniques, as recommended by 1 and 1. Additionally, the American Cancer Society guidelines on nutrition and physical activity for cancer prevention recommend choosing vegetables, whole fruits, and other low-calorie foods instead of calorie-dense foods, and limiting consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and processed meats, as stated in 1 and 1.

Overall, while air fryers can be a healthier cooking option, it's essential to prioritize whole, nutrient-dense foods and a balanced diet to maximize health benefits, as suggested by 1, 1, and 1.

From the Research

Air Fryers and Health

• Air fryers are often considered a healthier alternative to deep-frying, but their impact on health is not directly addressed in the provided studies.
• The studies focus on the relationship between dietary cholesterol, serum lipids, and heart disease, which may be relevant to understanding the health effects of air fryers if they are used to cook foods that are high in cholesterol or saturated fats.

Dietary Cholesterol and Heart Disease

• A study from 2002 2 found that lowering dietary saturated fat and cholesterol can reduce blood total cholesterol levels and the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).
• Another study from 2005 3 suggested that the association between dietary cholesterol and CHD is small, and that most people can adapt to higher levels of cholesterol intake without increasing their risk of CHD.
• A 2018 study 4 found that dietary cholesterol, such as that found in eggs, has a variable impact on serum lipids, with most people experiencing only minimal changes in their LDL and HDL cholesterol levels.

Serum Lipids and Heart Disease

• A study from 2025 5 found that aggressive lowering of remnant cholesterol can reduce the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), particularly in individuals at high cardiovascular risk.
• Another study from 2022 6 found that very high levels of HDL cholesterol (>80 mg/100 ml) are associated with an increased risk of all-cause death and cardiovascular death in men, but not in women.

Relevance to Air Fryers

• While the provided studies do not directly address the health effects of air fryers, they suggest that the impact of air fryers on health may depend on the types of foods being cooked and the levels of dietary cholesterol and saturated fats being consumed.
• If air fryers are used to cook foods that are high in cholesterol or saturated fats, they may not be as healthy as they seem, and their use should be considered in the context of an overall balanced diet.