Bacon may be considered a carcinogen, but that didn’t stop us Europeans from recently consuming a hefty 162,500 tonnes of it, according to statistics published last year.
And while it may not win any awards for being the healthiest protein on supermarket shelves, you cannot deny that the versatile cured meat tastes cracking sandwiched between two slices of thick, crusty white bread or as a juicy burger complement.
While some swear by microwaving their meat, others prefer to char it under the grill, or even stick slices in the air fryer.
However, anyone who routinely uses the handy countertop appliance to cook bacon has been advised by a leading food expert to pick another method - and here’s why.
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According to registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator Brenda Peralta, fatty foods and air fryers aren’t exactly a match made in heaven.
Speaking to the Huffington Post, she said bacon fat can easily pool and start smoking.
What's more, it could also splatter onto the heating element and cause serious odours.
Peralta continued, claiming air fryers could also make bacon ‘difficult to cook evenly’.
Unfortunately, it’s very easy to undercook bacon in an air fryer, with the result being a very nasty bout of food poisoning.
Symptoms include nausea, diarrhoea, stomach cramps, a loss of appetite, and aching muscles, as per the NHS.
Meanwhile, bacon fat dripping can cause a build-up of grease, which can suddenly begin to smoke.
If you notice that the waxy-like substance has splattered across the air fryer’s heating element, then it’s advised you wait for the machine to cool down before gently sponging it off.
Due to some bacon slices being pretty thin and small, they can be difficult to flip and remove from the air fryer basket without breaking, as per Peralta.
That means you may be sorely dissapointed if you were attempting to build an indulgent Insta-worthy fry up.
And although the breakfast staple is miniature, it doesn’t mean you can chuck loads into your cooking hero.
“The air fryer basket may not be large enough to accommodate a large quantity of bacon,” the dietitian warned.
“This can make it difficult to cook a lot of bacon at once, which can be inconvenient if you are cooking for a group.
If you’re concerned about your health, then previous studies suggest that microwaving your bacon may be a better option.
Lisa Cimperman, a registered dietitian at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center advised sticking your rasher on a paper towel before popping it into the microwave.
The idea is that the makeshift platter will absorb any excess fat, leaving you with a delicious slice of porky goodness.
Topics: Food And Drink, News
Ella Scott