Recipe This | Do Air Fryers Reduce Calories? (2024)

Do Air Fryers Reduce Calories? Today we are talking all about the air fryer calories, is an air fryer good for reducing calories, what kind of calorie drop you get with an air fryer and so much more.

This air fryer calorie guide is also featured in the Magic With Gadgets Podcast. Simply search for Magic With Gadgets on your preferred podcast player, then scroll to episode 15 of season 2 to access this awesome episode.

Recipe This | Do Air Fryers Reduce Calories? (1)

Table of Contents

Are Air Fryers Good For Weight Loss?

Yes, air fryers are good for weight loss, and I am going to explain why and how with you today.

When you see so many air fryer recipes for air fryer box cake, air fryer chocolate chip cookies and of course air fryer frozen chicken wings, people are still curious to whether or not the air fryer has replaced the deep fat fryer for unhealthy food or whether or not air fryers are good for weight loss.

Today on the podcast, I wanted to set the record straight once and for all and explain just how good the air fryer is for weight loss, how much weight you can lose with the air fryer, and why this air fryer that we have, is the answer to all your problems.

First of all, it is like all cooking devices. We can make healthy food in it, and we can also choose to make unhealthy food in it.

I can bake cakes in the air fryer, but I can also make healthy French fries from vegetables with hardly any oil at all, like I do in our air fryer veggie fries, air fryer rutabaga fries and our air fryer roasted beets.

Do Air Fryers Reduce Calories?

Yes, they do. But only if you eat certain foods and follow lower oil recipes. There are many that are new to the air fryer, that will still put too much oil in the air fryer, then with this comes a higher calorie amount in their food than there should be.

In many of our air fryer recipes we use just 30 calories of oil per serving. But if you drizzled it on instead, then you could be looking at 150 calories of oil per serving instead.

Can I Eat Air Fryer Fries On A Diet?

Yes, you can, and air fryer fries can be very healthy when you follow our air fryer methods.

You see what you do instead is put the oil directly on the food and toss the oil on the potato, rather than the oil being placed directly in the air fryer basket.

This means that you use less calories, but also that you save money on oil, because a bottle of extra virgin olive oil will last weeks and weeks.

Do Air Fryers Use Oil?

Yes, they do. But not with every single air fryer recipe. Its all about if you would normally cook with oil, then they will generally need oil, but if it were something you would normally cook oil free, then you can air fry oil free too.

For example. If you placed frozen breaded chicken in the oven you wouldn’t normally add oil and the same applies to the air fryer. But if you roasted a chicken in the oven, you would often use a LOT. But in the air fryer that LOT is 1Tbsp (120 calories) of extra virgin olive oil for a whole chicken that would feed four people. Check out our Ninja Foodi whole chicken to see the oil consumption.

So a massive calorie saving.

Then there are some foods that simply don’t need it and taste good without. Such as air fryer chickpeas and air fryer grilled tomatoes.

Air Fryer Vs Deep Fryer Calories

What I love to do is crunch some numbers and give you a proper calorie compare.

KFC chicken is my favourite comparison. You can buy KFC chicken strips and it will work out at 1032 calories and I am sure you are aware that they are deep fried. The same recipe can be made in the air fryer instead and the calories are JUST 526 calories for the same quantity of food. Get the recipe: Air Fryer KFC Chicken Strips

Slimming World chips is another favourite. I used SW frozen chips which is oil free and similar to sliced potatoes that have been blanched and then frozen. Then served with slimming world gravy. If I bought these deep fried from the English chippy they would be 640 calories, whilst the air fryer version is JUST 325 calories. Get the recipe:

Homemade air fryer fries are another example. Compare the weight of 400g of potatoes with homemade and with McDonalds fries. Homemade would be 368 calories and McDonalds would be 1164 calories. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Cajun Fries

Those are just three examples of how much of a calorie saving you can make with the air fryer.

Did You Know We Have A Podcast?

We started the Magic With Gadgets podcast in the January of 2021 as a way to offer a different way to enjoy Recipe This. It focuses on cooking with kitchen gadgets. You can find out more about our podcast here.

With twice weekly episodes through September to December. This is episode 15 of the second season and you have the choice between reading this post, listening to the podcast or both.

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Recipe This | Do Air Fryers Reduce Calories? (2024)

FAQs

Does cooking in an air fryer reduce calories? ›

Are Air-Fried Foods Better for You? By most measures, air frying is healthier than frying in oil. It cuts calories by 70% to 80% and has a lot less fat. This cooking method might also cut down on some of the other harmful effects of oil frying.

Is an air fryer good for losing weight? ›

Using air fryers can promote weight loss

A higher intake of fried foods has direct links with higher obesity risk. This is because deep fried foods tend to be high in fat and calories. Switching from deep-fried foods to air-fried foods and reducing regular intake of unhealthful oils can promote weight loss.

Does air frying frozen food reduce calories? ›

Using an air fryer — which requires about a tablespoon of oil — may cut calories that you'd normally get from deep frying foods by up to 80%.

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Why are people getting rid of air fryers? ›

Households are shelving their air fryers in favour of another kitchen appliance that is cheaper to run, and just as healthy.

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Is there a downside to air fryers? ›

Air fryers have a limited cooking capacity compared to traditional ovens or deep fryers, making them unsuitable for larger families or cooking larger portions.

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What I wish I knew before I get an air fryer? ›

6 things I wish I'd known before I bought an air fryer

Air fryers do not fry. Deep fried foods: not like air fried ones. ...
The air fryer parts you use most are easy to clean but the outer parts… not so much. ...
There's a war going on in the air fryer community! ...
Air fryers can be quite large.

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What are the best foods to cook in an air fryer? ›

Some of the popular things to make in the air fryer are potatoes (chips, roasted, baked), muffins, scones, and cakes. It's also great for getting dinner on the table fast – we love to use our air fryer to make fritters, rissoles, nuggets, and pork belly (yes, you can cook raw meat in an air fryer).

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What is the healthiest oil for air fryer? ›

Avocado oil is one of the best oils to use in the air fryer. Not only does it have a very high smoke point, it also has a neutral flavor and is rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fats.

What is the real truth about air fryers? ›

Air fryers 'fry' your food. Despite its name, an air fryer doesn't actually 'fry' your food at all – it bakes it. "The biggest misconception is that air fryers cook foods the same as deep frying," says Fiona. "They cook as an oven would, so foods are more oven baked than deep fried."

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Is grilling healthier than air frying? ›

moreover, air fryer is healthier as this uses less oil. in grill oven your food is fried using a fire, None of this is guarantees as far your health is concerned. An air fryer is more recommended than any of these roasted, grilled, slow-cooked or pan-seared styles of cooking.

Are air fryers healthier than microwaves? ›

Microwave Oven: This doesn't inherently promote healthier cooking, as it doesn't necessarily reduce oil usage or a method to reduce fat content. Air Fryer: Uses significantly less oil or even no oil, promoting a healthier cooking option by reducing the overall fat content of dishes.

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Why do chefs hate air fryers? ›

Some say it's too good to be true, that you can't effectively “fry” something with a few tablespoons of oil and hot circulating air. Some say yeah, it works but it takes up too much countertop space for what it's worth.

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What is replacing an air fryer? ›

A convection oven has the same advantages over an air fryer as a regular oven—size. If you're making multiple dishes or batches of food, a convection oven can help prepare it all at once.

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What are people using instead of air fryers? ›

If you have a convection oven or a toaster oven with a convection oven setting, you can use it to make any air fryer recipe — even the New York Times' Wirecutter column agrees that the best air fryer is actually a toaster oven!

Is an air fryer healthier than an oven for weight loss? ›

The evidence so far suggests that air frying is healthier than deep-frying, but it's not necessarily healthier than pan frying or baking in an oven. What really matters is your overall dietary pattern and the quality of the food you're eating.

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Is it healthier to cook in an air fryer or oven? ›

Food is just as healthy when cooked in an air fryer as in an oven. It may be slightly healthier if you use less butter or oil in the air fryer. 4. It's important to check the instructions that came with your air fryer to adapt cooking times for different food products.

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Is it more economical to cook with an air fryer? ›

Are air fryers economical? Yes, air fryers are economical – especially when compared to ovens. The average 1,500 W air fryer will cost you around 51p per hour, based on the current electricity rate. Since the average cooking time for air fryers is 30 minutes or less, that means their cost per use is around 17p.

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Is an air fryer as healthy as an oven? ›

Myth 3.

Think again! "Air fryers can be used for cooking similar foods to what you cook in the oven, like roasting and grilling meats, vegetables, nuts and even reheating," Fiona explains. "The health benefits are the same as cooking in an oven – very little oil is needed."

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