 "Why your air fryer may be working against your health goals, doctor warns")
Your air fryer may feel like a healthier way to cook, but a Mumbai-based doctor says that assumption can be misleading.
In a recent Instagram video, orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist Dr Manan Vora warned that while air fryers use far less oil and reduce certain harmful compounds, they do not make unhealthy food healthy. He stresses that air fryers can improve cooking methods, but they cannot compensate for poor food choices.
Used wisely, they can support healthier eating. Used poorly, they can create a dangerous “health halo” around junk food.
Why are air fryers seen as a health upgrade in the first place?
Air fryers earned their healthy reputation for a reason. Compared with deep frying, they use 70–90 per cent less oil, significantly lowering calorie and fat intake. They also avoid repeated oil reheating, a process known to generate harmful oxidation products.
Another key benefit is reduced formation of acrylamide, a potentially carcinogenic compound that forms when starchy foods are cooked at very high temperatures. This risk is well documented in food safety research published in journals such as Food Chemistry and Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition.
From a cooking-method perspective, air frying is clearly better than deep frying.
What does Dr Manan Vora mean by a ‘harm reduction tool’?
Dr Vora describes the air fryer as a harm reduction device, not a health transformation machine.
“Harm reduction” means minimising damage when a behaviour already exists, not turning that behaviour into a virtue. In medical terms, it is about choosing a less harmful option, not a harmless one.
As Dr Vora explains, air fryers help when you are already making sensible food choices. They cannot repair a nutritionally poor diet built around refined starches, additives and excess salt.
Can air frying junk food make it healthy?
According to Dr Vora, air frying ultra-processed frozen foods, such as momos, chicken nuggets, fries or paneer tikka, does not improve their nutritional quality. The refined carbohydrates, preservatives, additives and high sodium levels remain unchanged.
Research consistently links ultra-processed foods to higher risks of obesity, metabolic disease and cardiovascular problems, regardless of how they are cooked. The appliance does not “clean” the ingredient list.
If a food is unhealthy before it enters the basket, it will still be unhealthy when it comes out.
What is the ‘health halo’ trap around air fryers?
The “health halo” effect occurs when one positive attribute creates the illusion that everything associated with it is healthy.
With air fryers, the halo comes from the cooking method. Because the appliance is healthier than deep frying, people assume everything cooked in it must be healthy too. This false sense of security can lead to larger portions, more frequent snacking and greater dependence on processed convenience foods.
Dr Vora warns that this mindset can quietly derail weight-loss and metabolic health goals.
When does an air fryer actually work in your favour?
According to Dr Vora, air fryers support health when they are used for:
- Whole foods
- Balanced meals
- Lean proteins
- Fibre-rich vegetables
- Minimally processed ingredients
- Roasted vegetables, grilled fish, paneer, tofu, eggs, legumes or homemade snacks with controlled salt and fat
When does an air fryer start working against your health?
The appliance works against you when it becomes a “guilt-free junk food machine”.
Frequent air-fried frozen snacks, oversized portions and the belief that cooking method alone determines health can reinforce poor eating patterns, even if oil use is lower.
As Dr Vora stresses, health outcomes depend on what you eat, how much you eat and how often you eat, not on the gadget you use.
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This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.