5 Great reasons why you should use a Food Dehydrator

 

The team here at Love Your Health Australia have been working with and using our Food Dehydrator for over 10 years and we have seen many benefits.

Our Children love dehydrated snacks as do we, we see it as a hassle free, clean and fun way to give our family so vital extra nutrients, particularly from food that may otherwise end up in the waste bin.

Food dehydration is one of the oldest and safest methods of food preservation but maybe you’ve often wondered if eating dehydrated foods, it is actually beneficial to your health.

 

Well we are positive that it is and here are our 5 few reasons why:

 

1. You can make 100% natural and healthy food: absolutely preservative and chemical free

In the modern world where almost everything is instant, it is very unlikely to maintain a healthy lifestyle because we are surrounded by highly commercialised commodities. Our lives are literally becoming “instant” and we don’t give enough thought to our food choice.

Many of our foods contain chemicals you will never have heard of and numerous preservatives in our commercially processed food are being absorbed every day. So much of our food is altered and preserved, posing an adverse effect to our bodies which cannot work out what to do with this foreign substance which starts with a 142XXX

Dehydrating will change your perspective on food. Aside from being economical since it requires only one ingredient which is the food of your choice, it will give you 100% natural and healthy food. Unlike cooking and steaming which may result in a reduction of food’s nutritional content, food dehydration preserves the original vitamin and mineral content as well as the natural enzymes of foods.

Next time you clean out the moldy food at the bottom of the Fridge or Fruit bowl imagine those fruits and vegetables heading towards the green compostable bag could have transformed into tasty and all-natural snacks and treats which are healthy substitutes to nasty junk foods.

Based on a scientific study mentioned in the Journal of American College of Nutrition in 2005, most dried fruits are found to have a higher antioxidant content when compared to their fresh version which is pretty amazing.

Here are some examples of items that can be dehydrated into a tasty and healthy snack:

• Fruit Snacks made from apples, pears, prunes, bananas, oranges, or lemons or commonly known as dried fruits
• Dehydrated vegetables or veggie chips from kale, carrots, green beans, zucchini, or sweet potatoes
• Jerky from beef, salmon, chicken, or lamb
• The beef jerky’s fruit version or fruit leathers made from pureed dried fruits
• Dehydrated or sun-dried tomatoes
• Granola and crispy nuts and seeds
• Raw crackers or breads
• Meals that can be rehydrated later
• Dehydrated or dried herbs and flowers

2. Reduces waste and saves money and other resources

Have you tried of buying food in bulk in order to save money? Things like fruits and vegetables are often cheaper when bought in larger quantities but often you end up wasting heaps because you were not able to consume them before they started to go off.

We have all been there, your heart sinks the moment the bin lid opens and you see both your health and money end up in the trash can again. You worked hard for that food, the intention to save has cost you more than you expected and you have thrown out food that should have been eaten. What a Waste!

Next time you are here just think of it for a moment, if you have your own food dehydrator at home, you have all the freedom to dehydrate anything that you do not intend to eat this week therefore preserving and extending its shelf life and saving money, food and your time whilst reducing landfill.

Along with this don’t you just hate it when your favourite fruits and veggies are out of season and the price goes through the roof?

With a Food Dehydrator you can purchase in bulk whilst your favs are in season, eat what you want and dehydrate the rest storing them for those times when the price goes through the roof and chuckle away to yourself at the queue of people in the Supermarket who are paying through the nose for the same produce.

3. Easy storage and safe preservation

As food dehydration is a natural way to preserve your goodies, the benefits are actually doubled. By dehydrating you are removing the moisture in your food. This causes the item to shrink in size which when storing means you can actually hold more in a smaller container.

This removal of moisture is actually what makes your food last longer as bacteria requires moisture to grow which then causes the spoiling (rotting) of your food. Amazingly dehydrating your food removes moisture but leaves the essential vitamins and minerals and other nutrients behind so you get a nutrient dense healthy food that lasts for a lot longer than it normally would.

4. A perfect option Vegans, Coeliacs or those with other special dietary requirements

Our daughter Lissy was recently diagnosed with Coeliac disease at just 3 years old. The poor little girl had been complaining about feeling unwell for a while and at first we just put it down to her not wanting to go to daycare.

Now all 4 of us are turning to a Gluten Free diet and it really makes a difference. Our days of dining out and allowing the girls to eat healthy snacks from the packet are over. So much of what we eat is processed or packaged on a line that also handles wheat that we cannot take the risk.

When you dehydrate your food, you are in control. You can be reassured that the items you are giving your family are safe for them to consume and it makes picnics or lunch boxes a much easy task to.

Aside from making dried foods at your convenience, there are a lot of ways you can benefit from your dehydrator. You can start making homemade items such as herbal teas, dried herbs, Potpourri and dried flowers, fire starters and dog treats. So, you will not just improve your total health and wellbeing but you also have the opportunity to improve you home craft skills.

5. Convenience and portability

Do you travel frequently?

It can be pretty inconvenient to try and eat healthily whilst travelling. On the go snack food is becoming more popular by the week as brands all fight for your hard-earned dollars. Here is another issue that dehydrating your food will solve. Not only will it save you spending your money on food that we really shouldn’t allow to enter our bodies it will also save you time and money with a simple bit of preparation.

Dehydrated snacks are perfect for travellers, hikers, those with a love of the outdoors and remember with no moisture you get less mess.

So when the kids are screaming in the back of the car don’t pull over to the next Fast Food outlet, reach for that Tupperware box in your bag that has the dehydrated mangoes instead.

 

Why start dehydrating today?

So there are 5 great examples of how a Food Dehydrator can improve your life. The next step is to make a wise decision and invest in a food dehydrator for yourself and for the entire family. This small investment that will pay for itself over time as you stop throwing out food due that has passed its use by date.

The benefits of having dehydrator are huge, the team at Love Your Health Australia is always here to help you along the way to a healthier journey.

We have chosen to offer the worlds best Healthy Kitchen appliances that are trusted worldwide.

The Excalibur brand has firmly established its exceptional reputation in producing cutting-edge dehydrators. If you’re looking for high-end, cost-effective dehydrators that give back more than your money’s worth, Excalibur dehydrators are what you are looking for!

 

Here some of the dehydrators that we recommend to try:

1. Excalibur 4926T – 9 Tray Food Dehydrator with Timer in Black

• Perfect for dehydrating fruits, veggies, meats, yoghurt and more
• On board 26 hour timer so you can set and forget
• Thermostatic control from 41ºC to 74ºC (105ºF – 165ºF) for safe drying
• BPA Free
• Large tray space for heaps of food
• Removable trays
• Horizontal-airflow drying system for guaranteed results
• Made in the USA

 2. Excalibur 49-Tray Stainless Steel Food Dehydrator D902CDSHD (Clear Door)

• Durable stainless steel trays and exterior case and effective strong polycarbonate inner walls
• Parallex system and Hyperwave Fluctuation technology guarantees an even, faster and better quality dried foods.
• Shelf-life, nutritive and taste quality of the foods are not compromised.
• Safe, easy to use and clean
• Economic and environment-friendly
• Made in USA

3. Excalibur 5-Tray Digital Dehydrator 4548CDB – With Recipe Guide Book

• Designed with bigger families, gardeners and DIY people in mind.
• The Hyperwave Fluctuation and Parallexx technology together guarantee an evenly and perfectly dried ingredient.
• Large Drying space for a larger volume of dried produce
• Free Preserve it Naturally Book worth $39
• Ensures a nutritious, delicious, and safe food for the whole family to enjoy
• Safe, easy to use and clean, economical and environment-friendly
• Made in the USA