Table of Contents
Fried meat, fired chips, fired veggies…. How much more to count in the fried item list? Your doctor has banned everything that is deep fried in oil. NOT GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH. But your cravings are uncontrollable. You are binging on fried food items and just can’t resist the treats and deals. So, let’s find the mid-way.
Technology catches the best solution for you. People say that air fryers serve a great deal for low-oil foods, so low-calorie intake. You know, fried items are banned in weight-loss diets because they are rich in calorie content. Let’s talk about air fryer vs deep fryer calories in detail in this blog to guide you on how this technology can save your cravings.
Air Fryer Versus Deep Fryer
Before running into the debate that which one is better, let’s first discuss the basics. How do an air fryer and deep fryer work?
Air Fryer: How does it work?
To fry food in air fryers, only 1 tbsp or even less oil will work. This oil is to add a crispy layer so you don’t miss the deep-fried taste. But, the calories are very low, while enough for your body. When you add food to an air fryer, the hot air is circulated around the food item as it happens in an oven. All the sides of the food are cooked well.
On adding food to the air fryer, the metal heating coil will become active. As it heats up, heat radiated down onto the food item. Meanwhile, there is a fan installed inside that blow the heat in all corners. When the hot air will strike the basket, it blows over the surface of the food item and makes sure that heat is evenly distributed in all corners.
3 minutes of heating time is enough to achieve the highest cooking temperature. As the coil is very small in size, so it ensures that the heat is concentrated around the food item and as it heats up, the oil as well becomes hot. Same as the deep fryer, the heated oil will cause dehydration of the food item surface and a crispy layer is formed. Extra oil spills into the greased pan while steam and other gases are expelled out of a hole in the back of the fryer.
Deep Fryer: How does it work?
Deep drying means frying food while it is completely submerged in the oil. On adding a food item to the hot oil, the heat transfer process starts. The food item will absorb the oil through every cavity and hole on its surface. Sugar and amino acid bond breakdown start as heat migrate into the food structure.
Food items will turn brown and their taste improves. And then you will smell the tasty aroma. At the same instant, food surface dehydration begins and a crispy outer crust forms that further stops oil penetration deeper. On the other side, the food interior heats up and is cooked.
The starch content will gelatinize, the protein content will denature, and fibers will soften. The fried food item is warm and moist from the inside, but the outer layer is crispy and hard.
Air fryer vs deep fryer calories
Whatever can be cooked in a deep fryer can also be cooked in an air fryer. Factually, air-fried food items are low in calories as compared to deep-fried items. Here is the air fryer vs deep fryer calories for some commonly cooked items.
- Friend Calamari
Air Fryer: 143 kcal
Deep Fryer: 1180 kcal
- French Fries
Air Fryer: 226 kcal
Deep Fryer: 340 kcal
- Fried Chicken
Air Fryer: 280 kcal
Deep Fryer: 549 kcal
The only drawback of using the air fryer is that oil is replaced with hot air. So, heat transfer is not that effective. So, you miss the crisp as you may experience in a dry fried item. However, you will still experience moisture and tenderness. Moreover, the options for coating are limited. While it is simple to air fry items that have been breaded or doused in a dry rub, batters frequently get swept off by the fan.
Take Away!
Air fryers are healthier than deep fryers in the context of calorie content. Although, the taste may differ a bit, but you can compromise for good health. If you want to know more about air fryer vs deep fryer calories differences, you can leave a comment.
