You’ve probably heard the saying “you are what you eat”. If you gorge on junk food, sugary snacks and other such items, the chances are that you aren’t the healthiest person in the world. Following a balanced, varied and healthy diet is extremely important when it comes to our health.
A daily intake of fruit and vegetables is vital to good health, as they are packed with minerals, vitamins and other nutrients that all play an important role in our bodily function, immune system and overall health. If you aren’t able to eat your daily requirement, then there are lots of supplements that you can take which will do the job.
Healthy ways of cooking
In addition to the types of food that we eat playing a role in our overall health, it’s also important to look at how the food we eat is cooked. Different methods of cooking have a different impact on our health, so if we are in a position where we are not eating the best possible diet, it’s important that we at least pay attention to how it is prepared.
Fried food is the worst type you can eat. Unfortunately, it’s the preferred method of cooking in various restaurants and fast food chains, as it is a quick and inexpensive way to prepare food. A lot of the time, unhealthy oils are used for the frying, which in turn have a negative effect on your health.
Some of the healthiest ways to cook food including boiling, steaming and poaching. The problem for many people is that foods prepared this way don’t always taste great. For example, there’s a big difference between boiled and fried chicken. However, there is a way in which frying can be replicated, but in a much healthier way. Introducing air frying.
What is air frying?
An air fryer is a device that is about the same size as an average coffee maker, and basically fries your food with air, rather than unhealthy oils. This means that the amount of calories can be reduced by around 75%, with a lot less fat than conventional frying.
It works by pushing hot air inside the basket, reaching up to 400F, similar to a convection oven. The outside of the food is cooked first, creating a crispy coating, while the inside remains soft – just like regular frying. With the food being held in a basket, any natural grease from the food will drop down below, being collected in the container. They are very easy to clean up compared with something such as a deep fryer.
If you are interested in recipes that you can follow with air frying, head over to Corrie Cooks and take a look at the great range they have on their website.
What can you cook with it?
With an air fryer, you can cook all the same foods that you would normally cook by frying. Things such as potatoes, onion rings, chicken and fish can all be deliciously prepared with air frying, providing you with the same tasty foods you are used to, but without all the negative health impacts from being fried in oil. There are some models of air fryer that have additional settings, so you can use them for toasting or baking.
They are very handy devices for small amounts of food, but their main disadvantage is the size. You might need to cook several portions one after the other if you have a large family to feed. Another downside is that it means that you have another device in your already cluttered kitchen.
Why not use the Instant Pot?
The Instant Pot is a device that combines a pressure, steam and slow cooker into one. It can be used to prepare all types of food from boiled eggs, to roasted chicken and even ice cream and yogurt.
There are many benefits to using an Instant Pot for your cooking, such as the faster cooking time, as well as being much more energy efficient. It also means you can put your other pots and pans away in storage, and use the Instant Pot for everything.
And with an Instant Pot, you can also use it as an air fryer. So you can keep cooking all of those delicious fried foods that we all know and love, but in a much healthier way. We all know that French fries and fried chicken are not the healthiest options when it comes to our diet, but with the air frying method of cooking, we can now enjoy our favourite foods without the guilt of eating something unhealthy. There are lots of great recipes you can try out.
If you own an Instant Pot, then all you need to do is pop to your local kitchenware store, or online, and pick up an attachment that turns your device into an air fryer. They are not expensive, and can be picked up for around $50.
