Why Should You Start Using A Food Dehydrator?

Food preservation has been a practice for ages. We have evolved a lot from the old method of sun-drying foods to increase their life. With the advent of technology, we have electrical dehydrators. They do the work of preserving food. While a lot of people would hesitate to dehydrate foods, it could be very beneficial. You can get a good dehydrator from the market according to your need and budget and make best out of it.

The main aim of this article is to explain 15 such benefits of dehydrating foods.

I. It's Tasty

Dehydrating food doesn't compromise with the taste at all. It removes the moisture from the food. This means you can have your favorite food whenever you want and after as long as you want. It intensifies the flavors of the food item. This makes it more delicious to eat. It doesn't compromise with the freshness too as you know how long have you dehydrated it.

II. Hello Nutrition!

Dehydrated food retains the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. A study suggests that these had double the antioxidants than the original foods. The heat does hamper with some vitamins but it retains most of it. Especially, if you compare it with canned or frozen food. For canning, you need to boil the food in jars that lead to the loss of certain enzymes and vitamins. And, for frozen foods, you need to blanch them that also leads to loss of nutrition. Dehydrating only removes moisture retaining the essentials.

III. It's Natural

You can be secure that the food only has the ingredients you know of and it's healthier to consume. There are no added preservatives or chemicals, so it's as good as natural and not harmful.

IV. Quick Energy

The moisture dries from the foods. So, the nutrients, calories, and sugars become dense and concentrated. So these foods help to refuel energy.

V. Friendly for the 'busy-bees' and travelers

Dehydrating foods means removing the moisture present in the food. As a result, the volume of the food decreases. You can pack this food as it takes up little space and is lightweight. You can munch on a pack of dehydrated food while driving a car when you're late for work. It's not messy or sticky. Its good midday hunger buster and snack for packing in the tiffin boxes. It's ideal for camping and other survival situations as it is portable. It does not need any constant energy source to for preservation, unlike frozen foods.[G8]

VI. Offers Convenience

There is a wide range of foods which you can dehydrate, unlike the other methods. For people, who do not like to work many dehydrated foods a ready-to-go snack. You don't need to rehydrate some foods to consume them. You can also use fruit leathers and kale chips as a healthy snack option (also dehydrated). It's simpler than the other methods as it only requires you to put the food into the dehydrator. It also helps to prepare instant meals.

VII. No Storage and Preservation Issues

Dehydrated food takes up only one-sixth of the original space, so they take up less space. Removal of moisture prevents the growth of bacteria which increases the shelf-life. Also, you don't need a refrigerator or a freezer to preserve them. To ensure that they last longer, you could store them in zip-lock bags with air removed with the help of a vacuum.

VIII. It's less expensive!

You could always do with saving some money. All thanks to the inflation, processed foods cost a bit too much. You can't even turn to the readymade dehydrated food as they cost even more. Dehydrating food at home is cost-effective. You buy food items in bulk and at discounted prices and store it for longer. You can take full advantage of the store offers for the fresh goods and consume them longer. This saves a lot of money in the long-run.

IX. Helpful during emergencies

They have a longer shelf-life of and you can store them with ease, so, they are perfect for emergencies. You can not only dehydrate individual food items but whole meals which makes it even better. The food will last for almost a year and it's a cheap and a quick way to prepare for emergencies.

X. Reduce Waste

It reduces wastage of food. You could dehydrate the food which you feel is close to spoiling and increase its shelf-life. That way you can consume it longer and also ensure no wastage. So, next time instead of throwing away that ripe banana slice it and dehydrate it.

XI. Use of Homemade Goods and for Gifts

Great way to share your harvest with friends and family living away. No need of sending them canned foods. Backpackers can carry whole meals and carry that around with ease. They can eat homemade food after a long day. They do not need to resort to restaurants or the local cuisine but get have their favorite food.

You can make other things with a dehydrator like

• Dried herbs,
• Potpourri and dried flowers,
• Herbal tea,
• Dog treats,
• Fine starters and
• Paper

XII. Good for Diets

Dehydrated foods are good for plant-based diets or raw food diets. It prepares food at suitable temperatures. These are the thresholds to maintain the natural vitamins and the enzymes. It gives more options while on a diet like raw crackers, cookies, chips, bread.

So with dehydrated foods, the diets become tastier and varied.

XIII. Replace the Processed with the Healthy

You can make healthy snacks and not rely on the costly, unhealthy processed foods. Fruit leathers, cookies, crackers, kale chips, dried tomatoes are sumptuous and healthy. Dried strawberries, blueberries paired with some chocolate would be a good dessert too.

XIV. What's seasonal?

You can buy the seasonal foods at their peak and preserve them at their highest quality. You can consume them year round. With dehydrated foods, you don't need to consume the seasonal in weeks but save it for later.

XV. A DIY

It is a fun and practical DIY. You can take the quality food you have today and extend its life into the future.

These fifteen points illustrate the wholesomeness of this particular practice, its life-changing.

So, are you up with dehydrating foods?