Chapter 1: Ketogenic Diets and a Slow Cooker

The ketogenic diet is not a difficult one, but it is much easier when you prepare in advance. A slow cooker, or crockpot, can make this element of your new diet much easier to adapt to. The following are benefits of using your slow cooker to help with your keto diet:

• It reduces the risk of you being tempted by takeout food since it is easy and convenient to always have healthy meals
• By cooking foods slowly, this allows the flavors to come out, ensuring a more flavorful meal
• Meat is more tenderized when being cooked at a lower temperature for a longer period of time
• Compared to the oven, slow cookers use less electricity

Now that you know why this cooking appliance is an excellent choice, it is time to choose the right one for you. There is a wealth of options to consider. The first thing to consider is the size. There are some that only hold two quarts, and this is ideal for up to two people. However, some models can hold up to eight quarts and this is often the better choice since you can make larger meals to feed up to seven people, depending on the recipe.

The keto diet is rich in fats and proteins so you will be cooking a lot of chicken and meat. A slow cooker that can hold at least six quarts is ideal for such foods. It also allows sufficient space for the accompanying ingredients so that everything cooks as intended and nothing is squished into the bowl.

Features are the next element to think about. Overall, slow cookers do the same thing, so unless you are planning to do ultra-sophisticated meals, a basic model is sufficient. As long as it can trap heat and moisture while allowing foods to cook for several hours on low heat, it will get the job done.

Standard slow cookers have a low and high setting. If you want to keep your food warm after the cooking is complete, you might consider one that also has a warming setting.

There are digital and manual options. If you want to keep it simple, you can use a clock or a timer to time your food by yourself. If you do not want this responsibility, consider one with a programmable clock that will give you accurate cooking times. Just remember that with the digital type, if your power goes out, when it comes back up, the slow cooker will remain off. It will come back on with a manual one.

Other elements to consider is the lid material and shape. It is recommended that you opt for a glass lid since this is better able to trap the moisture and heat inside. As for the shape, the best one ultimately depends on what you are planning to cook.