Home made dehydrated meals

[unm1136]

Interesting article in the new Western Hunter about preparing your own meals. Freeze drying is much better than dehydrating. Article said because heat is used in dehydrating up to 50% of the nutritional value of the meal can be lost. I would like a better explanation of that.

Big draw back is cost, a home use Freeze Drying machine is $3800.

Is there a source for the nutritional loss? Drying is a one of the oldest preservation techniques around. CSU's website says that Vitamin C is generally destroyed during the drying process, but fiber and calories stay the same, while Vitamin A is well retained, and B Vitamins and mineral losses can be minimized by consuming the water used to rehydrate.

I do agree that freeze drying tends to produce better textures and a longer shelf life, but not too sure about the nutritional loss.

pat

 

[Hunt'nFish]

Pat, don't worry about the nutritional loss, that's what gummy vitamins are for. (wink)
Hunt'nFish

 

[Ray]

Interesting article in the new Western Hunter about preparing your own meals. Freeze drying is much better than dehydrating. Article said because heat is used in dehydrating up to 50% of the nutritional value of the meal can be lost. I would like a better explanation of that.

Big draw back is cost, a home use Freeze Drying machine is $3800.

Is there a source for the nutritional loss? Drying is a one of the oldest preservation techniques around. CSU's website says that Vitamin C is generally destroyed during the drying process, but fiber and calories stay the same, while Vitamin A is well retained, and B Vitamins and mineral losses can be minimized by consuming the water used to rehydrate.

I do agree that freeze drying tends to produce better textures and a longer shelf life, but not too sure about the nutritional loss.

pat

Some chemicals (vitamins) in food depend on water for their structure. Take out the water and the chemical falls apart. Pills are manufactured chemicals that retain their structure due to how they are designed and made.

You don't have use heat to dehydrate food. The raw foodies make all kinds of dehydrated food without heat.