Air Fried Foods Are Not Toxic—Here’s the Truth Backed by Science

Air fried foods, whipped up by health-conscious influencers, intrigue us all when we scroll through our socials. And on social media in general, you’ll see some wild stuff, and some even more wild claims.  One of the scarier claims sparking our anxiety is that the non-stick coating in your air fryer basket is toxifying your late night crispy chicken nuggets. So, what’s the deal? Is it real, or just bogus influencer content being Debbie Downers while you thought you were air frying for a healthier result?

Is nonstick coating secretly hurting us?

The villain threatening your favorite kitchen counter gadget lies in its non-stick coating. Most air fryer baskets and their other internal surfaces are coated with lubricating elements like Teflon. These non-stick coatings contain chemicals called PFOAs, and those chemicals have been linked to kidney and liver diseases. An air fryer works by circulating super-heated air within to create food cooking convection. The fear is that at certain temperatures, these PFOA chemical compounds can break down and seep into our food.  This is a very valid concern, especially when cooking food at higher temperatures. 

There’s more to the story

Luckily, I’m here to save your cholesterol-busting, calorie-cutting air fryer by informing you that those chemicals cited as dangerous have since been eliminated in non-stick coatings like Teflon since 2013.  Not to say that some polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) don’t still exist in non-stick cookware, including your dual basket air fryer, because they do.  However, these chemicals have been shown to break down at temperatures higher than 500 degrees, and most air fryers will top out at around 450 degrees.  Do your best to choose high-quality air fryers; the cheap ones might bring a bargain, but they may be more likely to break down internally.  

Air frying can reduce the bad stuff

A second set of chemicals, called acrylamides, has been associated with air fried foods. And those substances have been shown to cause certain cancers in lab animals by the FDA.  Acrylamides form when any food is cooked at high temperatures, regardless of the cooking method used. They are found in higher levels in foods like French fries and potato chips, primarily due to their sugar or amino acid content. However, studies on the abundance of these chemicals in our foods indicate that air frying can reduce their amount by up to 90%, suggesting that air frying remains a healthy cooking option.

Avoid unhealthy byproducts with best practices

The best thing you can do to avoid unhealthy chemicals contaminating your air fried foods is to follow the instructions!  Every air fryer has its own manual that explains how to safely use the appliance.  Another tip is to not go crazy with trying to cook too much at once.  Every air fryer has a capacity, and overloading it will cause uneven cooking and poor results.  You can prevent unhealthy compounds from forming if you use oils with high smoke points like sunflower, canola, or avocado oil.   And lastly, try to use silicone or parchment liners inside your air fryer to reduce harmful chemicals; tin foil should be a last resort.

A countertop air fryer is a safe choice

So, do we have to worry about social media influencers guilting our air fried foods?  Nope, because they’re largely unfounded. And if you like, you can take extra precautions by using a silicone air fryer liner and by using soft cleaning utensils on your air fryer. By reducing scratching on non-stick surfaces, it successfully keeps their contents from seeping out and into food. The healthy, crunchy foods you make in your countertop air fryer should still be on your table, and often.