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#Post#: 221--------------------------------------------------
Dehydrated Fruits!!!
DIR By: Hummingbird
Date: August 12, 2012, 4:09 pm
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As its name suggests, dehydrated fruit is fruit removed of most
of its water content. Without water to keep it plump, fruit
shrivels. Dehydrated fruit contains a greater amount of sugar,
calories and carbohydrates in a small volume. If you eat dried
fruit, limit portion sizes to reduce the risk of blood sugar
spikes or weight gain.
Recommendations
The American Diabetes Association states that you should eat 1/2
cup of fresh fruit -- the equivalent of one small piece of fresh
whole fruit -- at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Fresh fruit makes
a better choice than dehydrated on a diabetes diet, but you can
healthfully include dehydrated fruit in your diet. In general, a
small piece of fresh whole fruit equals about 2 tbsp. of
dehydrated fruit. So you can substitute dehydrated fruit for
fresh fruit, but keep your portions much smaller.
Portion Control
It could prove easier to overeat dehydrated fruit than fresh
fruit. The recommended serving size of fresh fruit, because of
its volume, provides more satiety than the recommended serving
size of dehydrated fruit. You will more likely feel full and
satisfied after eating 1/2 cup of fresh grapes than after eating
2 tbsp. of raisins. And if you still feel hungry after consuming
the recommended serving size of a food, you will more likely
keep eating in an attempt to satisfy your hunger.
Recipe Ideas
To avoid overeating dehydrated fruit, try adding it to recipes
rather than eating it by itself. Try 2 tbsp. of dehydrated
cranberries, raspberries or strawberries on top of a green leafy
salad that includes baby spinach, low-fat crumbled goat cheese
and plain walnuts. Or add 2 tbsp. of dehydrated fruit to a bowl
of oatmeal. Or mix raisins into low-fat cottage cheese. Top your
cottage cheese mixture on a whole grain English muffin and
sprinkle with cinnamon.
Considerations
If you choose to include dehydrated fruit in your diabetes diet,
select a variety that does not include any added sugars.
Dehydrated fruit with added sugars contains more calories and
more carbohydrates than unsweetened dehydrated fruit. Keep in
mind that the recommended serving size of 2 tbsp. of dehydrated
fruit is for dehydrated fruit that is free of additional sugars.
Dehydrated fruit, sweeter than fresh fruit, makes a healthy
alternative to candy. Eating 1 or 2 tbsp. of dehydrated fruit
can help satisfy your sweet tooth cravings as well as provide
vitamins and minerals.
#Post#: 222--------------------------------------------------
Re: Dehydrated Fruits!!!
DIR By: Hummingbird
Date: August 12, 2012, 4:12 pm
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Although the removal of water from fruit increases the calories
per gram of dehydrated fruit compared to fresh, dehydrated fruit
can offer quick energy during a midday slump and is a
low-calorie, healthy snack choice. To lower the calorie content,
look for dehydrated fruits that have no sugar added.
Dehydrated Apricots
A 1-oz. serving of apricots contains 68 calories, whereas a
1-oz. serving of fresh apricots contains 14 calories
Dehydrated Mangos
One of the lowest-calorie options, a 1-oz. serving of dehydrated
mangos has only 16 calories, about equal to the same quantity of
fresh mango.
Dehydrated Coconut
One ounce of this high-calorie, high-fat fruit contains 187
calories and 18 g of fat when dehydrated. Before it’s
dehydrated, coconut contains 100 calories in the same serving
size.
Raisins
One miniature box of raisins typically contains about 0.5 oz.
and 42 calories, as does the golden raisin variety.
Dehydrated Cranberries
Dehydrated cranberries have about 87 calories in a 1-oz.
serving. The same amount of sweetened dehydrated cranberries has
about 123 calories.
#Post#: 223--------------------------------------------------
Re: Dehydrated Fruits!!!
DIR By: Hummingbird
Date: August 12, 2012, 4:15 pm
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Eat sweet potato chips in the summer, berry cereal-toppers in
the winter and apple pieces in the spring. Buy a batch of your
favorite berries, beans, squash, root vegetables or tropical
fruits at the farmer's market and dehydrate the fruits and
vegetables for nutritious lunchbox snacks, hurricane survival
kits or hiking rations. Many markets and outfitters also
conveniently carry prepackaged dehydrated produce. Dehydrating
fruits and vegetables maintains much of its nutritional value
while decreasing storage space and weight and allows you to eat
seasonal produce all year long.
Why Dehydration Works
One of the oldest food preservation processes, dehydration
removes moisture, the environment where microorganisms thrive,
according to the Virginia Cooperative Extension. Lack of
moisture slows the growth of bacteria, yeasts and molds and the
enzymatic reactions within food. The removal of water delays
spoilage to give food a longer shelf life without destroying
much of its nutritional value
Types
The dehydrated grape is perhaps one of the best-known types of
dehydrated produce. Moisture is removed from the grape, which
contains 80 percent water, to form a raisin. You can dehydrate
any fruit, however, including apples, apricots, bananas,
blueberries, cranberries, mangos, peaches, pears, pineapples,
raspberries and strawberries. Dehydrated fruit is a great way to
sneak in a few extra vitamins and minerals while baking or
making trail mix. Dehydrate any vegetable, including asparagus,
beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, corn, potatoes or sweet
potatoes, for a healthy substitute for the traditional potato
chip.
Calorie Count
The dehydration of fruits and vegetables does not alter the
calorie count. Calories become concentrated into a smaller, more
compact mass without the zero calorie water. If snowed-in after
a blizzard, hiking for the day or grabbing a quick,
mid-afternoon snack, the more compact consumption of calories
makes sense. If weight-loss is your goal, you may opt for fresh
fruits and vegetables so that water provides a filling,
zero-calorie portion of the food.
Fiber Content
The fiber content of dehydrated fruits and vegetables does not
change. Water and fiber work together to improve your digestive
process. In order to get the full benefit of the fiber,
therefore, you should consume water with your dehydrated fruits
and vegetables.
Vitamins and Minerals
Most vitamins and minerals remain intact during the dehydration
process. Heat and air, however, destroy vitamin C. Air exposure
also destroys vitamin A. Sulfur, when used in the dehydration
process, protects vitamins A and C. Fruits and vegetables lose
minimal amounts of minerals during the dehydration process.
Antioxidants
A report by the American Institute for Cancer Research, or AICR,
suggests that dehydrated fruits retain almost the same levels of
antioxidant phytochemicals as fresh fruits. AICR recommends
consuming more dried, frozen or fresh fruits in your diet to
obtain their antioxidant benefits. One serving of dried fruit is
1/4 cup and a serving of fresh fruit is 1/2 cup.
Storage and Usage
To ensure that dehydrated fruits and vegetables maintain their
nutrient values, store dried foods in a cool, dark, dry place.
Heat, light and moisture can destroy vitamin and mineral values
and facilitate food deterioration. Dehydration slows
deterioration of food, but does not halt the process completely.
A Colorado State University fact sheet on drying vegetables
recommends that you use dehydrated foods within a year.
#Post#: 224--------------------------------------------------
Re: Dehydrated Fruits!!!
DIR By: Hummingbird
Date: August 12, 2012, 4:17 pm
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Dehydrating reduces the moisture in food and is an alternative
to canning and freezing foods in an effort to preserve them for
later use. Drying creates a number of convenience and
health-related benefits for individuals as well as for food
manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies. Foods can be
sun-dried, freeze-dried or spray-dried; each method also comes
with distinct advantages. Most foods, including meats, fish,
grains, herbs, fruits and vegetables, can be dehydrated. Some
foods can be later re-hydrated.
Convenience and Storage
You can easily store dehydrated foods. They do not take up the
same amount of space required by foods that are canned or
frozen. Convenience is another advantage of dehydrated foods;
you can always have a supply of food available. Dehydrated
foods, especially fruits, also make great, convenient snacks and
are a perfect alternative to pricey and nutritionally poor snack
foods available from the supermarket.
In a Pinch
Foods that are dried are available in emergencies such as when
refrigerated foods get spoiled in a power outage or when you
can't cook due to a problem with your stove.
No Spoiling
Dehydrated foods don't require refrigeration. This means they
represent savings in terms of energy costs as well. Dehydrated
foods don't spoil. When foods are sufficiently dehydrated,
dangerous microorganisms cannot grow on them. This means molds,
yeast and bacteria, which need water to grow, won't be a problem
on dehydrated food and you need not be concerned with botulism.
Carry and Go
Dried foods are light weight. Dehydration reduces the weight and
volume of most foods. This is an important consideration for
hikers, campers, astronauts and other long-distance travelers
who must carry their food with them. In addition, this makes
shipping less expensive for food makers.
Savings and Shelf Life
Dehydrating your own foods brings down your food costs. This
means you can buy foods, especially produce, when they are in
season at their cheapest cost and dry them for later use. You
can store dehydrated foods for up to a year.
Nutrient Rich
Dehydrated food is essentially raw food. That means it retains
all its enzymes, vitamins, minerals and general nutritional
value that would be lost or damaged by cooking.
#Post#: 225--------------------------------------------------
Re: Dehydrated Fruits!!!
DIR By: Hummingbird
Date: August 12, 2012, 4:19 pm
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Dehydrating foods is one way to preserve fresh foods so they
will last until the next harvest. Humans have dehydrated food
for much of recorded history; archeologists have found foods
that were believed to be dehydrated over 4,000 years ago.
Dehydrating is easy to do at home, and can be the basic for some
fun foods, like fruit leathers, vegetable chips and meat jerky.
Low Cost
Dehydrating foods at home is inexpensive. Foods can be dried in
the oven or out in the sun, or you can purchase a commercial
dehydrator, which is specifically designed to maintain the
correct temperature and air flow. Dehydrated foods take up less
storage space without the water, so you'll need fewer containers
to store the same amount of food. You can save money when you
buy produce in season and dehydrate it for later use.
Nutrition
The nutritional value of foods is affected to some extent by
dehydration. Vitamin C is diminished, but most of the other
vitamins are retained, and mineral content remains the same.
Most of the beneficial phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables
remain intact, as well. Some phytochemicals, such as lycopene
and polyphenols, are more concentrated after processing. Dried
foods are more nutrient- and calorie-dense by volume until you
reconstitute them. Ten raisins have the same calories as 10
grapes, but 1 cup of grapes has about 60 calories, while 1 cup
of dried raisins has over 400.
Easy to Carry
Dehydrated foods can be carried in your bag or purse. Small
dried fruits such as raisins, blueberries and apricots can be
mixed with dry cereal or nuts and put into plastic bags for
travel. Dehydrated foods take up less space, so they're
convenient for camping trips and vacations when you want to
bring your own foods.
Food Safety
Dehydrated foods don't carry the risk of botulism contamination
that wet canned foods do, and dried meats are safe as long as
they are dried at the right temperature for a sufficient amount
of time. Dehydrated foods should be kept in cool, dark spaces.
Foods that are not dried sufficiently may become contaminated
with mold, and must be discarded.
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