There are a number of variants of electric smokers available in the market. This electrical appliance works the same as traditional smokers but in a more modified and controlled way.
But most of all, the thing which should be taken into consideration is the health implications. It is essential to know if cooking food in an electric smoker is healthy or not. Our diet controls a good amount of our body workings. So, are electric smokers healthy? Yes, it is actually compared to other methods of cooking.
This has a lot to do with not only what we cook but also how we cook. Are electric smokers healthy or not is of much importance. To know about the health issues or benefits, an electric smoker includes, keep reading!
Are Electric Smokers Healthy?
Yes, electric smokers are healthy. understand better, electric smokers are a type of machine that prepares meat in a conventional way (which is healthy) but using modern techniques. But, you should only smoke thawed meat, fish etc. Otherwise the food will not be fully cooked, which is not healthy at all. It is much different from grilling, both in terms of the ways it is being cooked and the flavor it adds to the food.
Electric smokers are characterized by a heating function that is supported by electricity. It does not bring the food under direct contact with the heat. Instead, electric smokers circulate the heated air throughout that supposedly cooks the meat.
Normally, a 700ww heater is used by the machine to light the wood chips, which creates smoke in the interior. This entire process cooks the meat and adds to the smoky flavor of the protein.
Coming to the nutritional value of the food cooked by electric smokers, it is definitely one of the the best choices. compared to fried foods, cooking the food out of smoke is not that harmful. It is better to say that out of all the fancy methods to cook delicious food, cooking food for smokers is the best option.
Health issues arise when one consumes overcooked or undercooked food. But that is not the problem with electric smokers. The machine is automated and, if it is used in the right way, will prepare the rightly cooked food for you.
Are Light Smokers Healthier than Heavy Smokers?
Considerably, light smokers are better than heavy smokers. But to understand the statement better, it is first essential to understand what are light and heavy smokers.
Light smokers are those smokers who are operated by electricity. At the same time, heavy smokers are those who function with the help of charcoal. Light smokers are the best choice because they include no complex processes. It is totally automated as it is operated through electricity and is much user friendly.
It can efficiently control the temperature throughout the cooking process without you having to babysit it. You just need to set the temperature for cooking the meat, and you are ready to set the table with a delicious preparation.
On the other hand, charcoal ones may add a more exotic flavor to the food but are much more difficult to use. You need to select the charcoal best suited for cooking and then use lightning fuel to prepare the entire setup. Charcoal smokers are not automated, and therefore, you will have to stand beside it and control the temperatures throughout the entire process.
All this requires years of experience. The constant dampening of the food, monitoring the temperature, and revising the wood chips can be tiresome jobs. In addition to this, inhaling the smoke produced is very bad for our lungs. The complex process can lead to overcooking or undercooking of food, which is detrimental to our health.
Are Electric Smokers Better than Wood?
Wood smokers are the ones who use wood as their fuel to cook food. You will have to place the wood chips in the fuel compartment and then wait for it to heat up and create smoke, after which you can place the food. Hence, it will work only with wood as fuel.
On the other hand, electric smokers work on the support of electricity and do not need much preparation. It is fully automated and will need you to only set the required temperature, and you are all done.
Wood smokers are much similar to charcoal ones as it has a firebox that supports the wood chips. It is an open instrument and thus emits the smoke openly. Inhaling the smoke is harmful to our health as it may lead to a number of heart diseases. Woods are used as a fuel whose burning is not good for the environment as well.
Electric smokers are, therefore, better as they are designed as an oven that does not let the smoke come out. It cooks the food to its right condition and hence will not lead to any digestive issues.
What are the Advantages of an Electric Smoker?
Using electric smokers has a number of benefits. Below we have mentioned a number of merits of using electric smokers.
- Temperature control is automated: Most of all, electric smokers are automatic. This ensures that the food is cooked at a low temperature during the whole cooking process. Automatic temperature controls also ensure that you do not have to stand by the smokers and babysit them.
- It comes with a timer: Electronic smokers are featured with a pre-set timer. Such are the advancements in technology that you can set the timer for your food to be cooked in accordance with the recipe. The machine will cook according to the time set and will inform you with a beep, so you do not have to come frequently and give it a check.
- Effective for beginners: Electric smokers are the best choice if you are a beginner. Normally, smoking your food is a complex process and will require much of your attention and labor. Any mistake during the entire process may leave the food either overcooked or undercooked. Electric smokers, on the other hand, do not require much attention, are simple to use, and have a pre-set timer.
- Money-value: Buying an electric sm9ker may seem costly in the short term but is really cost effective in the long run. You will just have to pay for the machine at the time of purchasing it, and you are all done. The delicious meat smoker will work for you in serving parties for the rest of your life.
- Safe to use: Most importantly, Electric smokers are very safe to use and are kids friendly. While smokers who are fueled on wood or charcoal are open, electric smokers are designed like an oven. Open smokers can cause a number of accidents if they come into close contact with the children, or can also lead to fire mishaps. Electric smokers with magnetic doors and insulated body safeguards the users from such accidents.
Ways to Mitigate Health Concerns
Choosing high-quality, food-grade materials
The number one issue that needs to be kept in mind for cooking a healthy meal is choosing the right quality of food, especially meat. If you are thinking about smoking meat for dinner it is better to stick to white meat. Chicken or turkey also creates HCAs and PAHs but cooking white meat is still better than cooking red meat.
Proper cleaning and maintenance
Cleaning and maintaining the cooking ware are both important for good health and proper working of the machine. Often while cooking, the machines are left with burnt marks and stains. These create HCAs and PAHs, which are very harmful to the body if consumed. Hence, electric smokers should be kept clean to avoid any health issues.
Using wood chips to add flavor
Using wood chips to add flavor to the meat is a lot better than using charcoal. Though charcoal adds an exotic smell to the food, its emission is harmful to health. The charcoal will highly contaminate the food and reduce its nutritional level, which is minimum if wood chips are used.
Monitoring temperature
It has already been discussed that consuming overcooked or undercooked meat is detrimental to your health. Therefore, it is important to keep the temperature under control throughout the cooking process. This becomes a lot easier if an electric smoker is installed as it regulates the heat and has a timer in it.
Conclusion:
Electric smokers, though they are high grade machine and use a number of advanced features, still does not eliminate a number of potential health risks. Smoked food includes HCAs and PAHs that are mutagenic. This means it can cause changes in DNA which increases the risk of cancer. This increases with the use of fish and red meat.
Although fish can be very healthy and rich in iodine, it becomes contaminated once it is smoked. Hence it is better to keep them away from your smoker. Burning of the food should be avoided to decrease the level of HCAs and PAHs. Thus one should know the proper timer settings and temperature required to prepare the meal. It is very important to have a healthy diet because ‘health is wealth.’
