Compared to the multitude of food preservation methods such as canning, freezing and so on, dehydration of vegetables and fruits comes with distinct benefits.
And just like you choose dried fruit over canned fruit, you choose that dehydrate the fruit without using a dehydrator it also offers enticing operational and health benefits. So why should you choose natural drying methods over using devices like dehydrators?
Benefits of consuming dehydrated fruit
Fruit, in general, provides lots of nutrients and vitamins needed to maintain a healthy body. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford to eat a variety of fresh fruit every day. This is because not all types of fruit will be available all year round, and it can be inconvenient to visit the grocery stores every other day.
Dried fruit, on the other hand, offers a multitude of health benefits along with convenience.
Some of the health benefits of consuming dehydrated fruit are:
- It helps prevent and control diabetes
- It offers more nutrition
- It strengthens the immune system
- Improves digestive health
- Promotes weight loss
In addition, the preservation of dried fruits becomes easy as well. Rather than investing in high-end refrigeration systems, you can choose dried fruit that can last for a long time without the need for refrigeration.
Different ways to dehydrate fruit
Although there are several ways to dehydrate fruit, some methods are generally more successful and efficient than others. For example, sun drying or air drying fruit offers more benefits than a dehydrator.
Here are the common methods used for dehydrating fruit:
- Air drying
- Sun drying
- Drying in the oven
- Electrical dehydration
- Dehydration in microwave ovens
Given the apparent benefits of different methods, why should you dehydrate fruit without using a dehydrator? Why shy away from such a modern tool?
Less investment
Using the solar dry method or any other natural method to dehydrate fruit will save you a lot of money. Especially with the solar dehydration method, energy is abundant at your disposal.
So you don’t necessarily have to use electric dehydrators for the process, saving a lot on cost.
Long term storage
Compared to fruits dried using dehydrators, those that are harvested naturally tend to last more years. For example, naturally dried fruit lasts up to five years and vegetables up to ten years or more.
So, with natural methods, you can get long-term storage.
Richness of taste
According to the articles that came out of the National Center for Biotechnology Informationfruits that are dehydrated with natural methods are usually rich in taste and contain a higher vitamin content than those dried using modern tools.
Say bye to equipment
One of the best advantages of choosing to dehydrate fruit without using a dehydrator is that you don’t have to lug around heavy pieces of equipment.
Natural methods such as air drying, sun drying and air drying usually do not require much equipment. All you need is a few trays and a pleasant outdoor condition, and you will be ready to dehydrate yummy fruits like apples, cherries and grapes.
Dehydrating the fruit using natural forces such as air and the sun will be a cheap and rewarding method instead of managing the dehydrators. Therefore, if you want to consume a lot more vitamins and fibers, and do it for free, try to explore these natural methods of dehydrating fruit.
Author Bio: Jacqueline Diaz is a passionate, full-time professional blogger. She also writes on various subjects. Gardening is her hobby and she likes to travel a lot. She is also very keen to learn new ideas that will be useful for personal and business life.
