More Than Medicines: Timea Venter on the Future of Community Pharmacy
Timea Venter, pharmacist and owner of MyDispensary Pharmacy & Clinic, sits down for a chat on how community pharmacy could play a much bigger role
Air fryers have quickly become a go-to kitchen tool for people trying to eat healthier. They use less oil, are convenient, and can make meals feel like a better alternative to deep frying.
And to be fair there are benefits.
But in practice, the results aren’t always what people expect.
In clinic, I often see patients who are actively trying to lose weight and have already made changes like switching to air frying. Despite this, many are still struggling to see progress.
That’s because changing how you cook doesn’t always change what matters most.
The “healthy cooking” trap
Air fryers can create what’s known as a health halo—where food feels healthier simply because of how it’s prepared.
When that happens, a few subtle shifts tend to follow:
Over time, these small changes can outweigh the benefit of using less oil.
It’s not that air fryers cause weight gain, but relying on a “healthier” cooking method can give a false sense of progress if the fundamentals aren’t addressed.
When it comes to weight management and long-term health, the key drivers are usually much simpler and more consistent.
Meals built around whole, minimally processed foods tend to be more filling and easier to regulate.
That includes:
Cooking method plays a role, but it is secondary to what is actually on the plate.
There’s often a tendency to equate “less oil” with “healthier,” but this can be misleading.
Healthy fats are an important part of a balanced diet, including:
These support satiety and overall nutrition. Meals that are too low in fat are often less satisfying, which can lead to increased snacking later.
Even nutritious foods can contribute to weight gain if portions are consistently too large or eating becomes more frequent.
This is where “healthy cooking” can unintentionally backfire:
Over time, this can offset any calorie reduction from using less oil.
One of the most common issues I see is meals that are technically “healthy” but not actually satisfying.
Appetite is not just about willpower—it is regulated by hormones that control hunger and fullness, including ghrelin, leptin, and GLP-1. These signals respond far more to what you eat than how you cook it.
Meals higher in protein, fibre, and healthy fats tend to support these satiety signals better, helping you feel full for longer.
Meals that lack:
tend to leave people hungry again soon after eating.
A simple structure that works well is:
protein + fibre at each meal
This helps regulate appetite more effectively and reduces the likelihood of snacking later.
This approach does not require strict rules or eliminating foods entirely.
Eggs are a practical and effective source of protein and can help improve satiety.
Red meat also does not need to be removed from the diet. It is more about portion size and frequency than avoidance. In practice, choosing higher-quality options such as grass-fed or less processed cuts can be a useful step where it is realistic.
However, these choices sit on top of the fundamentals. Overall dietary pattern and consistency matter far more than whether every individual choice is “perfect.”
Air fryers are not the problem and they can absolutely be part of a healthy routine.
But it is important to keep their role in perspective:
Cooking methods like air frying or oven roasting can support healthier habits, but they do not replace the fundamentals of balanced eating.
Rather than focusing on whether food is air fried, oven-cooked, or pan-fried, a more effective approach is to build meals around:
This is broadly aligned with a Mediterranean-style way of eating: balanced, practical, and sustainable long term.
Air fryers can be a helpful tool, but they are not a solution on their own.
Focusing only on “healthy” cooking methods can sometimes distract from the factors that matter most.
The goal is not to choose the perfect way to cook food, it is to build meals that are balanced, satisfying, and based on whole foods you can sustain long term.
If you’re feeling stuck, we’re happy to help you work through the first steps in a simple, practical way.
Timea Venter, pharmacist and owner of MyDispensary Pharmacy & Clinic, sits down for a chat on how community pharmacy could play a much bigger role
Timea and MyDispensary have been featured again in Pharmacy Today. The article explores how Timea transformed MyDispensary into a preventive health hub, expanding the role
As both a mother of two boys and a healthcare professional, I started noticing something years ago that completely changed the way I viewed “bad