Slow cookers were made popular in the 1970s with the Crock Pot, and continue to be popular amongst health and fitness enthusiasts worldwide. It saves time and money but also saves electricity.
If you have been contemplating whether a slow cooker is a worthy investment or not, here are 6 points that will help you make up your mind.
It Makes Your Food Nutritious
Tomatoes release cancer-fighting lycopene when steadily heated and leafy greens protein lutein which protects eye health.
A slow cooker gently heats and cooks food so that the mineral and nutrients are released and absorbed in the stock.
It’s also a wonderful way to cook legumes and cheap cuts of meats since moist-heat cooking preserves both flavours and natural goodness of the ingredients. Since food is infused with natural flavours, you don’t need to add too many additives like spices, fats or flavouring agents.
While broiling or grilling meats results in toxic compounds called AGEs or Advanced Glycation End Products, slow cooking is a far healthier way to cook meats.
It’s Convenient
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Cooking with a slow cooker is super easy. All you need is a few minutes for preps — wash and chop the veggies, brown the meat, add a dash of flavourful spices and herbs, and then let the dish slow cook for hours.
Modern slow cookers come with temperature setting so you can set a timer for cooking stews, soups, biryani, gravy dishes and casseroles. Once the food is cooked, the cooker automatically goes into ‘keep warm’ mode, so your food is ready to eat when you get home.
It Saves Time
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No one likes to slave over a hot pot for hours. Once the initial prep work is done, the slow cooker will do all the work. Once the dish is ready, all you need to do is slice up some bread to enjoy the delicious home-cooked meal. You can set the slow cooker and leave for work…and come home to a cooked meal.
What’s better, a slow cooker is excellent for the hot Indian climate wherein slogging in the kitchen on a hot summer day feels like a punishment.
It Is Economical
Slow cookers use very little energy; only as much as a light bulb. Not only are they more economical to use when compared to OTGs and Microwaves, they also allow you to transform seasonal vegetables and cheaper cuts of meats into a delicious meal.
It Makes Cleaning Easier
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Hate the pile of utensils in the sink after you’re done cooking a healthy recipe? A slow cooker takes care of that too, as all you have to clean is the cooker and the prep utensils. Since all the cooking happens in one pot, you don’t have a horde of dirty dishes to clean afterwards.
A slow cooker cooks slowly and thoroughly, ensuring even distribution of flavours. So go ahead and invest in one right away.
Shop for slow cooker here.
Lead image via http://www.dailycrock.com/
PUT THAT CHEESE BURGER DOWN 