I’m an NHS GP – you’ve been using your air fryer WRONG and it can be toxic to your health
AIR FRYERS have been hailed by many as a healthy way to cook quick meals.
The kitchen-top gadget uses roughly half the energy of a regular cooker, making it a bit of a money-saving hack.
And despite its name, it doesn’t actually fry food.
It just recreates the crispiness of fried food, without the need for extra fat.
Some now fear the small cookers could be a health hazard.
However, the research around the popular fryers is still very limited.
One NHS doctor has revealed how dangerous air fryers are and when exactly they can become a hazard.
Posting to TikTok, Dr Karan Rajan said on the whole, air fryers are okay to use – as long as you’re using them correctly.
Like non-stick pans, air fryers are covered in polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), otherwise known as ‘forever chemicals’, he explained.
The toxic substances are found in drinking water and other everyday products such as food packaging, carpets, furniture and contact lenses.
According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the chemicals may be linked to some cancers, including endometrial, ovarian, pancreatic, breast, and throat.
Dr Karan said: “This is only really an issue if the air fryer is damaged.
“As long as you don’t plan on eating the lining of your air fryer you will be fine.”
You should try and minimise how much damage and scratching there is to the non-stick coating of your fryer so the chemicals don’t get into your food.
When cleaning or collecting food from your cooking device avoid using abrasive scrubbing tools and use wood or silicone utensils and liners.
“And if you’re really worried about the non-stick coating you can use a ceramic or stainless steel air fryer,” he said.
How do air fryers work?
The appliance operates a bit like a convection oven.
Hot air is created by a heating element, and this is then circulated around the food by a fan.
The veggies or meat you put in there are held up in the basket, allowing the hot air to cook all sides of the food.
By using an air fryer as opposed to traditional frying, you can get your food crispy and browned without having to use much oil – though you might use some to stop your food from getting stuck.
Previously, medics told The Sun air fryers could actually be good for people’s health.
Dr Rachel Ward a GP from Woodlands Medical Centre, Didcot, said one of her “main concerns” at the moment was that patients cannot afford to heat their homes and feed themselves well due to the cost of living crisis.
“One thing an air fryer offers in an energy efficient way of cooking food, so this is positive,” she explained.
“It also uses much less fat that deep frying food which is an obvious health benefit.”
Meanwhile, Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant to Patient.infos, said air fryers can help people lose or manage their weight.
“The theory of air fryers is that they provide the taste and crispiness of food with up to 75 per cent less oil and therefore fewer calories.”