The Basics What You Should Know About Dried Food

The method of dehydrating food begun with the ancient man drying meat on sticks lay out in the sun or over fire. Among all methods of food preservation drying foods is the most popular. Dried foods are generally food free of water. These foods undergo a process called food drying. Drying food is a preservation process that was originally used many years ago. It is the oldest type of food preservation. This type of preservation may not replace freezing or canning of food but it works just as well as the other types of preservation. However, food drying has advantages over freezing and canning. There are various types or methods of drying food. These are:

• Sun drying
• Oven and
• Electric dehydrators

In the early years, when the method came to be, salting and sun drying were the most popular methods used.

Benefits Of Dried Food

After water is eliminated from food, bacteria and molds cannot survive in the dehydrated environment. This eliminates the possibility of food spoiling due to microorganisms that grow on food. Apart from adding the shelf life of food, dried food also has nutritional values. Dried fruits or foods are a very good source of energy. This is because they have concentrated fruit glucose. Fruits contain large amounts of vitamins and also minerals. The drying process may lead to the destruction of some vitamins in the fruit especially vitamins A and C. Fruit and other foods that can be dried are first exposed to sulfur before the drying process begins. Doing this helps retain vitamins A and C in the fruit. The fruits and other foods are exposed to sulfur because it destroys thiamine which is one of the vitamin B. fruit is not a crucial source of thiamine. Many of the dried fruits are rich in iron and riboflavin.

Vegetables are a very good source of minerals and the B vitamins. Both fruits and vegetables are a source of useful fiber or bulk we need. Water used to cook or soak dried food should not be discarded. The water is rich in nutrients from the dried food. The water can also be used in the preparation of recipes to make gravy and sauces.

The best and widely accepted way of retaining the nutritional value of dried foods is by controlling the drying process with out most care. Low heat therefore, should be used when drying food. When storing the dried food low humidity should be observed.

Dried food requires less cooking time than fresh foods. This saves time when cooking. When food is dried, it often decreases in mass and volume. This eases movement and storage of the dehydrated food.

Another advantage of dehydrated vegetables is that you are able to measure small amounts of it from a package of the same. You can also form soups or stews without opening a full package. Small amounts can also be eaten for single meals instead of purchasing expensive cans at the grocery stores.

Dehydrated foods also comes in handy for scouts and army men. They provide a quick meal that can be fixed fast.

Posted by <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/113472606118778464088/?rel=author">Emily B. Goodwin</a>