Benefits of Dehydrated Food

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Food dehydration is the process of removing moisture from fruits, vegetables, fish, meat and other food items. The goal is to prevent microorganisms from growing and extend shelf life of food. If you are interested in food dehydrating, you will find this post helpful.

The practice is no longer new. It goes back to prehistoric times. Many people have heard of the process, but few people understand the details of it. In this post, we will try to help you understand what food dehydrating is and why it can be good for you.

Why dehydrate food?

Food is dehydrated for many reasons, and the main reason is to preserve food. By dehydrating fruits and vegetables and preserving them, you can enjoy them throughout the year. When you preserve seasonal food, you can control the availability of that food anytime during the year.

Another good thing about food dehydration is that dehydrated food retains its nutritional values. If you are still wondering why dehydrate food, keep reading. Now we will try to discuss all the benefits of dehydrated food.

Is dehydrated fruit healthy?

The short answer is: Yes. When you dehydrate fruit, you in fact remove moisture, making the fruit immune from pathogens. Bacteria and other moisture can not grow if there is no moisture in fruits. Another great thing about dehydrated fruits is that they retain the nutritional properties.

Many people still ask this question. Is dehydrated fruit healthy? They ask it partly because of the appearance of dehydrated fruits. When you dehydrate fruits, they shrink and change their appearance. But that is not an issue for most people, because dehydrated fruits taste better than fresh fruits.

What foods can be dehydrated?

Dehydration is better than other methods of preservation, because dehydrated food retains the nutritional values of fresh food. According to some studies, dried fruits such as dried grapes, cranberries and plums have more antioxidants.

If you are fed up with chemically altered and packaged food, dehydrating your favorite food can be one of best things you can do for your overall well being. We all like healthy food, but they are not available throughout the year. Dehydrating food can be a viable solution to this problem.

Here are some healthy dehydrated foods:

  • Snacks or chips prepared from dried bananas, apples, pears, oranges, lemons, or prunes
  • Veggie chips prepared from kale, zucchini, green beans, carrots, or sweet potatoes
  • Sun-dried tomatoes
  • Jerky prepared from chicken, salmon, beef, or lamb
  • Crispy nuts, granola and chips
  • Raw breads or crackers
  • Dried flowers and herbs

If you some research, you will come up with many healthy dehydrator recipes. Now let us see some of the most notable benefits of dehydrated food.

Read :  How to Dehydrate Food

No chemicals or preservatives

Why is dehydrated food so healthy? It is healthy because it does not contain any preservative or chemical. You can eat dehydrated food without worrying about consuming any harmful chemical. This is one of the most notable benefits of dehydrated food.

Commercially packaged food contains preservatives, which are very harmful for health. Dehydrated food lasts longer than food preserved with chemical preservatives. If you are worried about the health implications of preservatives and chemicals, dehydrated food can make your life a bit less stressful.

Time saving

Dehydration takes less time than canning and other methods of food preservation, which means you can save your valuable time preserving food by dehydrating. When canning food you have to sterilize cans and glass jars before you use them.

But when dehydrating food, you do not need to worry about sterilizing the container. What you need to do is to wash the food, dehydrate it and store it. As food items become dehydrated, they become compact.  As a result, you can serve them quickly.

Less expensive

You will have to spend some money if you buy organic dehydrated food. It is not cheap. However, if you use a food dehydrator and dehydrate food on your own, you will end up saving a lot of money.

If you are willing to choose food items and put in some effort, it can be a great way to save some money. In the beginning you will have to invest some money. But in the long run you will spend a lot less.

When you purchase food for dehydrating, you purchase a lot at a time. Purchasing food items in bulk helps you save money. Food dehydrating is obviously cost-effective. This among the most enticing benefits of dehydrated food.

Tastes great

Dehydrated foods, whether they are vegetables, fruits or meat, taste great. When you remove moisture from any food, only the main ingredients remain. Even if you put emphasis on only the taste of food, you will like dry food.

Most people who dehydrate food do not think of the nutritional value of foods. They do it only because they like the taste.

More control over what you eat

Dehydrated food is a great option for people who are scared of genetically modified food. Buying ready made food means you have little control over what you eat. By dehydrating food, you can lock in the nutrients, and preserve the food for months, even years.

Yes, you can buy dehydrated food from the stores, but this dehydrated food may contain additives and sugars. So if you want to get the best quality, you should do it yourself. Thus you can ensure that you are eating healthy food. Having control over what you eat is one of the most notable benefits of dehydrated food.

If you love chips and fries, you can have dehydrated fruit instead of them. You can grind some dehydrated food such as garlic and onion. In the same way, dehydrated vegetables can be crushed into powder form. In short you can consume dehydrated food the way you wish.

Read : How to Dehydrate Food with a Dehydrator

You need less food to get energy

Fruit sugars are concentrated in dehydrated fruits. The same applies to other type of dehydrated foods. By eating only a few dried fruits, you can have enough energy to function all day. This is part of the reason why backpackers and campers like dried foods. Dried foods are not only lightweight but also full of nutrients.

It is important to eat dried food mindfully, because in just a few minutes, you can end up consuming more food than you need. If you spend a lot of time sitting at your desk, consuming dried food is not the best way to lose weight!

Easy storage

Easy storage is probably the main reason why people dehydrate food. Bacteria can not grow if there is no moisture in food. As a result the food stays safe for months, even years. Storing dehydrated food is easier also because dehydrated food shrinks in size. If other benefits of dehydrated food do not convince you, think of preserving your favorite food items for months, even years.

That means healthy foods will be available to you whenever you wish to have some. You don’t need to worry because your food will not get spoiled. Backpackers and campers carry dehydrated food mainly because of the long shelf life.

Dehydrated food is easily portable

People who travel a lot often complain that they do not get healthy food when they travel. The reasoning is understandable, but it is also good to know that dehydrated food can be a good solution to this problem. Easy portability is one of the most notable benefits of dehydrated food.

When food items are dehydrated, they become non-messy and healthy snacks that you can safely and easily consume. Whether you are traveling by air or by road, you can easily carry dehydrated food.

Reduces waste

Fruits and vegetables, when fresh, get easily spoiled. You can reduce this waste by dehydrating them. Dehydrated foods are still natural, and that is why they are healthy. If you hate wasting food, the process of dehydration will make you happy. Get a food dehydrator and you will make the best use of different types of food items.

Preparation for emergencies

Another great thing about dehydrating food is that it is a part of getting prepared for emergency situations. If you have a good stock of dry food, you will not have to worry about food when a natural disaster strikes.

You will feel less stressed if you always have access to healthy, less perishable food. If a power outage occurs when you are completely unprepared, some dehydrated food can be a blessing in your life. You can enjoy food when you know that you are consuming something completely safe.

A great source of fiber and antioxidants

Dried fruits are known as a great source of antioxidants and fiber. They are healthy for you because they are natural. Although they are dried, they are full of nutritional properties such as Beta Carotene, Vitamin C, and iron.

If you regularly consume foods rich in antioxidants, you will have reduced risk of diseases such as cancers and heart disease. Antioxidants make free radicals leave your body, making you immune to common cold and other chronic diseases.

Vitamins and minerals

Research shows that dried food does not retain all the vitamins and minerals, but this loss is to a certain degree. Light and air destroys vitamin A and vitamin C. Thiamine and riboflavin are also affected.

But you can reduce the loss of vitamins and minerals if you steam-blanch food items before you dehydrate them. That said the amount of vitamins and minerals remaining in dehydrated food are not insignificant.  

Read : Food dehydrator Uses

Brings a positive change in your life

It is said that we are what we eat. The process of food dehydration makes you more connected to nature. You get in touch with the magic of nature when you prepare your own food. It is a great way to slow down and appreciate food. This act has a positive impact on your mindset.

All natural

When buying processed food, you do not know what you are being offered for your hard-earned money. Processed food contains preservatives and additives that are not good for health. But dehydrated food is all natural because nothing is added to it. You just remove moisture from your food.

You pick your own food and use a food dehydrator. So you are completely in control of what you are eating. You have some peace of mind, knowing that you are eating safe food. This is one of the main benefits of dehydrated food.

If you are interested in the process, do not wait until you have a serious health issue. Even if you are perfectly healthy, consuming dehydrated food is one of the best things you can do for the overall quality of your life.

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