We always questioned what the best oil for air fryer is. When I bought my air fryer, I believed I didn’t need to use any oil for air fryer, but I found that using some food would help a lot. Using oil prevents food from sticking to the air fryer. Also, it helps food to go crispy and more delicious. Smoke point is the main factor when choosing the perfect oil for an air fryer. To reduce the likelihood of white smoke when air frying, try to find an oil with a high smoke point. Now, let’s see how to choose the best oil for air fryer.

What oil to use in air fryer?

When selecting the best oil for air fryer, you must consider three essential factors! The smoke point comes first. To keep this oil from smoking when it is heated to the high temperature of the air fryer, you want a high smoke point. Additionally, you want to choose an oil that is tasty and healthful. And lastly, the best oil for air fryers should be pure.

What high smoke point oils work best for air frying foods?

High-smoke point oil that won’t burn at high temperatures is the best oil for air fryer. Why does this matter? Because the heating element and coils in an air fryer are so near to the food, some oils begin to smoke at high temperatures, which frequently results in smoking and burning. Food will taste better, and there will be fewer smoking problems if you use a high smoke point oil that won’t smoke at high temperatures. Several different kinds of oils can be used successfully for air frying. Because all these oils have various flavors, we’ve provided our list below to assist you in deciding which one to use.

Sesame oil:

Its smoke point is about 210C/410F, which is terrific news. Sesame oil is somewhat healthy because it only contains 14.1% saturated fats. Sesame oil does not have extremely short fatty acids, but it does not have as many long-chain fatty acids as canola and peanut oils.

Avocado oil:

Around 271C/520F, avocado oil, among oils, has one of the highest smoke points. As a result, you might stop worrying about it, leading to smoking. As only 11.6% of it is made up of saturated fats, it is also reasonably healthful (lower than olive oil).

Peanut and canola oils:

Given that they both have relatively high smoke points (204 C/400 F and 227 C/440 F, respectively), canola and peanut oils seem like good choices. The issue is that both are highly refined and contain relatively long-chain fatty acids. So, even though it’s not bad for you, this oil would still rank relatively low on my list of air fryer oils that are good to use.

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Can you use olive oil in an air fryer?

Of course, you can. Olive oil is one of those questionable cooking oils suitable for air frying. Although it is one of the best oil for air fryers, the smoke point typically ranges from 160°C (320°F) to 210°C (410°F), depending on the oil’s quality. With only 13.5% of its calories from saturated fat, it is also very nutritious. I frequently use an olive oil air fryer because I have it in my kitchen the most often, and I haven’t observed any smoking-related problems. Additionally, I adore the flavor and health benefits of olive oil.

Can you use extra virgin olive oil in an air fryer?

Even though extra virgin olive oil has a lower smoke point than other cooking oils, it is a superior option for cooking since it primarily contains heat-stable monounsaturated fats and a lot of polyphenol compounds that resist oxidation when heated. A 2018 study in the ACTA Scientific Nutritional Health Journal evaluating ten cooking oils found that extra virgin olive oil beat oils with higher smoke points, including canola oil, coconut oil, and grape seed oil, in terms of stability and harmful byproduct production. So you can use extra virgin olive oil in air fryer. However, I can’t say that extra virgin olive oil is the best oil for air fryer is far too expensive to be used in an air fryer, so I would never even consider doing so. Instead, I typically use regular olive oil.

What should we take into account regarding the health of the oil?

If you are using an air fryer, I think your health is relatively high on your list of priorities. Otherwise, you would simply be frying food in deep oil. When it comes to health, oil is pretty tricky to understand. Triglycerides make up the substance known as fats, containing a series of fatty acids. The oil’s health depends partly on the kind and length of the fatty acids in this chain. In light of this, the ideal oil would contain a short chain and a “good” fatty acid.

• Saturated fats: primarily found in meat and dairy products. When left at room temperature, these will solidify. These fats are considered unhealthy and linked to conditions like heart disease.
• Good fats, known as monounsaturated fatty acids, are frequently present in plant-based oils like safflower and olive. These oils are typically liquid at average temperatures, but when cold, they solidify. According to the American Heart Association, these fats aid in lowering blood cholesterol levels, which protects against heart disease.
• Polyunsaturated fats are liquid at ambient temperature but solidify when cooled, just like monounsaturated fats. Polyunsaturated fats provide similar health advantages. But they also include omega oils, which our bodies need but cannot make on their own.

In conclusion, the best oil for air fryers should be high in mono- and polyunsaturated fats and lower in saturated fats. Additionally, the fatty acid chains in these oils should be shorter.

References:

What To Know About Olive Oil’s Smoke Point | Oliveoil.com