Two years ago, the Instant Pot—a glorified pressure cooker—took the world by storm. Now the Vortex Plus has become the biggest cooking trend.
The Vortex Plus is a lux air-fryer brought to you by the folks and Instant Pot. It’s got several options and promises to help you cook hassle-free healthy meals for your family. But can frying be that healthy?
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What makes air-fryers healthy is that they don’t actually fry food. You don’t need to soak your potato, fish, or chicken in oil to get it nice and crispy (while adding big-time calories). An air-fryer works as a miniature convection oven, blasting your food with air and creating a nice crispy layer without requiring vast amounts of oil. Studies have shown that French fries made in an air fryer have significantly fewer oils, fats, and calories compared to those made in a deep fryer.
But at the end of the day, air-frying is really as healthy as the food you’re making. If you’re using it to cook store-bought processed foods already packed with sodium, or high-fat items, those items will not be any healthier. For example, store-bought frozen chicken wings or French fries cooked in an air-fryer won’t be any better for you than baking them.
Instead, use an air-fryer to make whole foods. Air-frying chicken and potatoes, beans, cauliflower, fish, and more can all help you add some crispiness to these meals and potentially shave down some cooking time.
At the end of the day, it’s not only about the tool you use to cook but the food you’re cooking. Air frying can save you calorie compared to deep-frying, but the benefits air fryer’s when you’re cooking healthful meals from whole foods.
Mohan Garikiparithi got his degree in medicine from Osmania University (University of Health Sciences). He practiced clinical medicine for over a decade before he shifted his focus to the field of health communications. During his active practice he served as the head of the Dept. of Microbiology in a diagnostic centre in India. On a three-year communications program in Germany, Mohan developed a keen interest in German Medicine (Homoeopathy), and other alternative systems of medicine. He now advocates treating different medical conditions without the use of traditional drugs. An ardent squash player, Mohan believes in the importance of fitness and wellness.
