Why Buy A Dehydrator

7/31/2019 Why Buy A Dehydrator

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DISCLAIMER AND TERMS OF USE AGREEMENT

You are entitled to give the Your Guide to Dehydrating & Buying a Food

Dehydrator to your family and friends as long as no part of the guide is

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Table of Contents

WhyDehydratedFood.com Other Resources.................................................................. 4

Our Dehydrated Food Website........................................................................................ 4

Receive Daily Good Food Ideas sent to your inbox .................................................. 4

Good Food Forum ............................................................................................................... 4

Latest Version of this Guide ............................................................................................... 4

Why Dehydrate? ...................................................................................................................... 5

Dehydrating & Your Health ............................................................................................... 5

Why Not Just Buy Dried Fruit & Vegetables?.................................................................... 6

The Price & Your Budget ........................................................................................................ 7

Types of Dehydrator................................................................................................................ 8

1. Horizontal Dehydrator.................................................................................................... 8

Pros:...................................................................................................................................... 8

Cons:.................................................................................................................................... 8

2. Vertical Dehydrator........................................................................................................ 9

Pros:...................................................................................................................................... 9

Cons:.................................................................................................................................... 9

3. Convection Dehydrator.................................................................................................. 10

Pros:.................................................................................................................................... 10

Cons:.................................................................................................................................. 10

4. Solar Dehydrator................................................................................................................ 11

Pros:.................................................................................................................................... 11

Cons:.................................................................................................................................. 11

Other Extras.............................................................................................................................. 12

Dehydrator Warranties ......................................................................................................... 13

Dehydrator Reviews .............................................................................................................. 13

Tips to Dehydrating................................................................................................................ 13

Is It Time To Dehydrate? ....................................................................................................... 14

Hidden Dangers of Processed Foods ............................................................................... 14

Frequently Asked Questions................................................................................................ 16


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WhyDehydratedFood.com Other Resources

Our Dehydrated Food Website

http://whydehydratedfood.com provides information on nutrition, goodfood, dehydrating food, recipes and more.

Receive Daily Good Food Ideas sent to your inbox

We have organised a free Vegetarian Ideas newsletter. Subscribe toreceive good food Ideas delivered to your inbox. We will send ideas,

recipes and other interesting information you way.

Good Food Forum

Communicate with others interested in good food, good health,

vegetarianism, dehydrating, nutrition on ourwebsite forum.

Latest Version of this Guide

The latest version of our Your Guide to Dehydrating & Buying a FoodDehydrator is available on our websiteright here.
http://whydehydratedfood.com/http://whydehydratedfood.com/http://whydehydratedfood.com/dehydrated-food-newsletter/http://whydehydratedfood.com/dehydrated-food-newsletter/http://whydehydratedfood.com/dehydrated-food-newsletter/http://whydehydratedfood.com/dehydrated-food-forum/http://whydehydratedfood.com/dehydrated-food-forum/http://whydehydratedfood.com/91/reviews/dehydrator-buyers-guide/http://whydehydratedfood.com/91/reviews/dehydrator-buyers-guide/http://whydehydratedfood.com/91/reviews/dehydrator-buyers-guide/http://whydehydratedfood.com/dehydrated-food-forum/http://whydehydratedfood.com/dehydrated-food-newsletter/http://whydehydratedfood.com/dehydrated-food-newsletter/http://whydehydratedfood.com/


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Why Dehydrate?

Using a Dehydrator is a great way toprepare for healthier living. By

appropriating the removal of water from

the food by the dehydrator, people canessentially lock in all the healthy vitamins,nutrients and enzymes that make foods

good for the body. Enzymes that areuseful to the human body found in raw

food require a certain temperature range to complete their chemical

reactions and by dehydrating foods instead of cooking them, make it agreat way to utilize the activity of the enzymes found in raw food.

Dehydrating & Your Health

There are many health advantages to dehydrating food especially rawfoods. Raw foods or living foods contain no animal products and are

usually organic and uncooked. There are highly nutritious and contain all

the essential vitamins and minerals needed for good health.

Dehydrating your vegetables, fruits and herbs can make them lastfor up to a year

Canned foods are heated to high temperatures which results in aloss of nutritional value in the foods

Removing the water in food makes it resistant to most forms offood rot

All of the nutrients, vitamins, enzymes and flavors are preservedwhen dehydrated

Reduced weight and volume of dehydrated foods make themeasier to store

Dehydrated food is useful in making natural juices and smoothies Dehydrated food is relatively easy and convenient when going on

outings or picnics

Season has no impact on your choice of fruits or vegetables asdehydrated foods can be stored all year round

Combining your own home-grown foods and dehydrating can bea profitable business venture

A fantastic way to use outside space around your house bygrowing your own vegetables and herbs to dehydrate

Packing food for a future disaster is simple as food can beprepared months in advance
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You control all things that enter your body by focusing on thethings you dehydrate rather than processed foods

Why Not Just Buy Dried Fruit & Vegetables?

That is a good question to ask as many of ustoday are looking for convenience and ways

to save time.

When you decide you need to look at a few

things to make sure you want to buy store driedfruits and vegetables or dehydrate your own

with a food dehydrator.

The first factor is most store bought dried fruits and vegetables contain

added sugar and also trans-fat. Sugar is added into fruits during the

drying process as the fruit can become tart tasting due to the watercontent being removed. The added sugar also increases the calorie

content contained in the fruit.

The other ingredient, Trans fats are variants of unsaturated fats, and

these fats are known to be chemically modified. A diet high in Trans-fatscan increase the cholesterol levels in the blood which can impactoverall health.

To retain the color and taste of dried fruits especially commercially

prepared dried fruits an ingredient called sulphur dioxide or sulphites isadded. Sulphur dioxide has been known to trigger asthma in manyindividuals. If you have allergies it is best to check the label beforeconsuming any dried fruit.

Often dried fruit can be treated with a solution high in vitamin C justbefore dehydration so it is also best to check the label if you suspect you

may suffer from allergies of any kind.

Sulphur dioxide is also added as a pre-treatment to preserve Vitamins C

and A however this destroys any thiamine within the fruit and vegetablesdecreasing the overall nutritional content of the dried fruits.


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The Price & Your Budget

Your budget is a consideration whenyoure thinking about purchasing afood dehydrator and also how often

you will use the dehydrator. If you planon dehydrating food often you may

want to consider buying a high qualitydehydrator that will last the duration.

It's often better to buy quality than to go for the less expensive brandswhich may in the end effect the outcome and quality of your fruits and

vegetables.

If vegetarianism is your preferred life choice then a dehydrator is a

worthy investment towards your health and if you go for a qualitydehydrator it should last you many years.

Many people go for low quality products only to find they need toreplace them after a short period of time and often they don't function

as good as products of quality.

Below you will find a general price guide for the most popular and well

known dehydrators.

Horizontal dehydrator: $95.00 to $2799.00

Vertical dehydrator: $29.00 to $435.00

Convection dehydrator: $299 to $1000.00

Solar dehydrator: $40.00 to $500.00

The most expensive dehydrator may not be for you but it is highly

recommended that you opt for a quality dehydrator, quality which you

wont find in the cheaper priced models. Going for quality means youdon't have to be disappointed or frustrated later on.


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If youre still undecided we can help you. Once you work out which typeof Dehydrator you want, we will show you various dehydrators in those

categories under various price ranges. That way you'll be able topurchase the dehydrator that best suits you and your budget.

Types of Dehydrator

There are 4 varieties of dehydrators

1. Horizontal Dehydrator

With a horizontal dehydrator the fans inside theunit move air horizontally across the trays. One

advantage of this type of dehydrator is that itprevents the different flavors from the food mixing

from one tray of food to the next. As the heatingelement is at the back of the unit it also eliminates

the need to rotate the trays at different intervalsduring the drying process. As the heating element is also at the back it

may cause some temperature variation as the air cools towards thefront.

Pros:

Horizontal Dehydrators are more space efficient and cheaperthan the other models of dehydrators.

Evaporated water does not drip into the heating elements as thefan is located on the back of the racks.

You do not have to rotate the trays in order for the food to beserviced on one side and then the other.

Cons:

There can be large temperature ranges between the trays as thefan may not reach the food stuffs in equal amounts.

Not as much room as other dehydrators to place racks and traysdue to their size.
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Stronger dehydrators require a larger amount of watt usage, whichwhen dehydrators are run for a fairly long time, could increase

your electricity bill quite substantially.

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2. Vertical Dehydrator

With a vertical dehydrator the fan is eitherpositioned at the top of the unit or at the bottomof the unit. Vertical dehydrators tend to be

cheaper and more compact than most other

dehydrators. They are made up of stack-able orremovable shelves which consist of many small

holes. These holes allow the air to circulate in andaround the shelves to help in the drying process.

This kind of unit can cause irregular drying due to the position of the fanand also can cause flavors to mix. it may be necessary to rotate theshelves to help with these issues.

Pros:

Stack-able shelves means for a more efficient drying process asyou can select the amount of space that is affected by the fan.

These are more space efficient than other forms of dehydratorsand allow for easier cleaning.

The hole in the middle allows for the fans air to circulate aroundthe food placed on the trays.

Cons:

Due to the whole in the middle of the trays, a sizable amount ofdrying space is used up.

If the fan is mounted on the bottom of the trays, there is thepossibility of water damage due to droplets falling down.
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Food closer to the fan will dry out more quickly so you must rotatethe trays through the drying process for an even finish.

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3. Convection Dehydrator

Convection Dehydrators use a bottom mounted

heating element which allows the air to rise over thefood. They normally use less electricity and are

virtually silent when in operation as they don't use

fans. With the absence of the fans, the food is

potentially risk free of dirt that can get stuck to thespinning fans. Convection dehydrators usually requirea longer drying time than the vertical and horizontal

dehydrators and this may result in a loss of flavor in the fruits and

vegetables, especially bulky foods like tomatoes.

Pros:

Cleaner than other dehydrators as dirt that can stick to the fans isremoved due to having a different heating element.

Practically silent when it is active as it doesn't use a bulky fan, anduses less electricity than most dehydrators.

Stack-able trays makes for a more efficient build for thedehydrator

Cons:

May require double the drying time due to its heat source notbeing fan based.
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Potential loss of nutrients and flavor from its prolonged dryingperiod, and there is a risk of decontamination from bacteria.

There is a risk of not being able to process larger, bulky type foodsdue to the small space available.

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4. Solar Dehydrator

Solar dehydrators are the oldest method of dehydrating

fruits and vegetables. In early times they consisted ofonly a tray left out in the sun. These days however they

have improved considerably and many people chooseto make their own. Solar dehydrators often have a

black outer casing which is used to gather heat fromthe sun. With solar dehydrators fruits and vegetables

take longer to dry than standard horizontal, vertical and conventionaldehydrators and may even take days or weeks, which means they mostcertainly will lose a lot of the flavor they once had. Compared tostandard dehydrators they are rather inexpensive. As they use the sun todry you need to watch for humidity which will cause the fruit or

vegetables to mold.

Pros:

Zero cost on electricity as it uses solar power panels on the top ofthe dehydrator.

No switching of trays needed as air currents are even throughoutthe drying process if the air outside is still.

Cons:

Initial cost can be quite large due to the solar panels being quitecostly.
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Air currents from outside can potentially upset the air flows in solardehydrators giving an uneven finish.

Very space costly due to the large amount of space betweenracks needed by solar dehydrators.

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Other Extras

Fruit Roll Trays: A solid tray that is used to dehydrate liquids such asstews, thick soups & fruit purees. These trays are built to clean easily

& have a small, 3 finger hole in the middle of the tray for easyremoval. These are a great way to prepare a healthy fruit roll up as

an addition to a salad or for lunch.

Mesh Trays: A tray that has several crossings of fine wire mesh thatallows for the dehydrating of smaller types of dehydratable foodssuch as ground meats and chopped vegetables. Bulkier type

foods that lose their water volume through dehydration fallthrough the regular drying trays which are why Mesh Trays arefantastic as they stop food blocking the bottom of your

dehydrator.

Paraflexx Sheets: A flexible, non-stick solid sheet used for the dryingof foods in square dehydrators. These sheets can be rewashed,reused and are easily cleaned. Made with fibreglass, these sheets

will last for years and they bring durability and usability whenpreparing dried foods in your food dehydrator. Can be used as a

mesh tray and a fruit roll tray at the same time.


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Dehydrator Warranties

Having your dehydrator under its manufacturer's warranty is a very

welcome feeling when dealing with a variety of different brands. Qualitydehydrators offer a 10 year, 7 year or 5 year warranty.

Checking the reviews for each type of dehydrator gives an insight of thedehydrators quality and its effectiveness in performing dehydration.

Make sure the manufacturer you side with respects the warranties theyoffer.

Dehydrator Reviews

To help narrow down your choices it's a great idea to look at Customer

reviews for the various food dehydrators.

You may find out:

The noise level of the fans How simple it is to clean or wash the dehydrator Accessories you may need for the various dehydrators Whether customers were happy with the overall price Which type of fruits and vegetables you are able to use Whether the dehydrator can be used for other tasks Availability of accessories Whether it requires the trays to be rotated Consistency of drying Whether recipe or instructional book included Cooperation from the manufacturer should you need

replacement

Tips to Dehydrating

Dehydrate fruits and vegetables that are at the peak of flavor andripeness to get the most out of them.

Lightly coating fruits like apples and pears in a lemon or orangejuice will help stop the oxidization of the outside.


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Take care not to use too high of a temperature when dehydratingas it can damage or destroy helpful enzymes.

Practice makes perfect when preparing raw food. Test out thetime it takes your food items to finish the process before you startfull scale.

Powdering several types of fruit can lead to a healthy anddelicious smoothie or juice when combined. Maximize the flavorwith different combos.

Grow your own healthy produce in your very own backyard. Themost sure-fire way of directing exactly what enters. into your body

Is It Time To Dehydrate?

Dehydration doesn't have special seasons or a specific time that its bestto dehydrate, as the food you prepare can easily be prepared a year in

advance. Preparing mango slices during summer allows you to preservethem throughout the whole year giving you an all-round pro fordehydration. Serving friends and family with off season fruits and

vegetables can be a great way to encourage them to invest their owntime into the art of dehydration. Plus you dont consume any of thehidden dangers in processed foods when you dehydrate your own food.

Hidden Dangers of Processed Foods

In America over 80% of food consumption is processed foods. Processedfoods from

Processed frozen food, dried food, chilled food, prepared meals Snack foods, candy & sweets, Canned food, Container foods & drinks, bottled drinks, canned

drinks

Dairy food Bakery food Condiments, sauces, dressings

Processed foods are foods that have been altered for safety or

convenience reasons in a particular way to alter their natural state.

Some of the methods used to make processed foods are Asepticprocessing, Canning, Drying, Freezing, Irradiation, Refrigeration,


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Bleaching, Coloring, Stabilizing, Emulsifying, Texturizing, Preserving,Sweetening, Flavoring etc

During these processes certain additives and preservatives are added to

the food all of which have side effects detrimental to your health

ARTIFICAL COLORANTS

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFCTS hyperactivity, cancer, allergic reactions,ammonia poisoning, anaphylactic shock, liver damage, stomach distress

ASPARTAME, SACCHARIN, SUCRALOSE

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTSHeadaches, seizures, mood changes, panic

attacks, weight changes

MONO SODIUM GLUTAMATE (MSG)

PRODUCTS - Condiments, Sauces, Pickles, Soups, Confectionery

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS allergic reaction, headaches, dizziness, chest

pains, hot flushes, depression, mood swings, possible neurotoxin,diarrhea, blurred vision, palpitations, asthma

QUININE

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTSbirth defects,hypoglycaemia, confusion, rashes,hearing issues, chest pain, chest bleeding, seizures, vision issues, nausea

SODIUM NITRATES

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTSincreased cellular degeneration, carconagenic,dna damage, gastric cancer, oesophageal cancer, colorectal cancer,

STEVIA

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTSlow sperm production, candida, tooth decay,diabetes, hypoglycemia, increased triglycerides


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If you want to read the full article entitledCommon Additives and theirdangers

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long can I store my dehydrated food?A: Depending upon the methods used to dehydrate the food, some can

last for up to 1 year when stored correctly. Vacuum packing greatlyextends shelf life of dried foods. Refrigeration or freezing can double or

triple the storage life.

Q: What is meant by Dehydrating?

A: Dehydrating is a method of water extraction to preserve food andinhibit the grown of microorganisms that can rot the food. Bydehydrating instead of heating you can drastically increase the nutrientvalue of the food you eat and dehydrating can dramatically increase

storage life for food items.

Q: What is the best way to store dried foods?

A: It is best stored in air-tight contains like jars or plastic snaps. Reduce the

exposure to light, air and humidity to extend the storage life of the driedgoods and keep in a cool, dry location.

Q: How long does the dehydration process take?

A: Different types of dehydrators can take longer or less time than others,

and it also depends on what type of food you are dehydrating and howmuch of it there is. Refer to your Dehydrators Guide.

Q: If I powdered my dried vegetables, what can I use them for?A: Powdered onion and garlic can be a great seasoning or rub for

sauces and meats. Tomatoes that have been powdered can be

reintroduced into tomato sauce, paste, juice or soup. A blender will give
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you the finest texture when preparing your powdered vegetables. Storein an air-tight container to preserve the product.

Q: My pears and apples have changed to a rusty-brown color while

drying. Can I still eat them?

A: Yes, They are still edible. Fruits that have turned changed to a

brownish color are still safe to eat. Many fruits like pears and apples willoxidize when the flesh of the fruit is exposed to oxygen through the air. By

pre-treating fruits, oxidation is reduced.

Q: The banana chips I made don't look or taste anything like the chips in

the store. What do I do?A: Banana chips bought in store are usually deep friend and have

additional preservatives and ingredients added to them. Dehydratingthem yourself allows you to control the nutrients and ingredients in the

chips.

Q: What kinds of foods can you dehydrate?A: You can dry meats, flowers, fruits, herbs, vegetables and almostanything that contains a significant amount of water. You can even dry

out bread for breadcrumbs.

Q: Will dehydrating my food destroy its healthy nutrients?

A: Removing the water through dehydration causes a small loss ofnutrients, but if done the right way that loss is quite trivial. You retain

roughly 90% of the vitamins and minerals when dehydrating. When usingincreased temperatures, foods will dehydrate faster, but this does result

in a higher nutrient loss.

Q: Will food and fruit flavors mix if I dry different types of foods together in

the same dehydrator?A: If you dry foods in the same dehydrator, such as fruits with other fruits

and vegetables with other vegetables, the flavors shouldn't mix. We

recommend drying onions separately as the onion can affect otherfoods.

Q: Do dehydrated foods make for a quality camping and hiking options?A: Taking dehydrated foods while camping or hiking is a good

lightweight option as you can carry more food in you backpack.

Q: What are some methods that are necessary to pre-treat foods before

dehydrating them?A: Pre-treating can enhance the flavor and sometimes color of certain

foods, but is generally not necessary when dehydrating. A few Pre-treatment methods are marinating, dipping and blanching.


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Q: My fruit sticks to the dehydrator trays. How do I prevent this? A: Thinly sliced vegetables and sometimes fruits may stick to your trays as

the residual water fuses to the tray. You may want to purchase Clean-A-Screens to put on your trays to prevent these items from sticking.

Q: What are the benefits of food drying?

A: There are many benefits of drying food. Here are some:

You are in control of the food and the ingredients you eat. You will save large amounts of money when buying in bulk. You can take advantage of supermarket specials. You can create a snack that is full of nutrients and vitamins. You can take advantage of your own garden by drying your own

fruits and vegetables to be used all year round.

Q: Why should the surrounding edges of my fruit be thicker than the

centre?

A: With fruit, the edges of the mixture tend to dry first. To have a moreeven dryness for the fruit, the edges should be a deal thicker than thecentre or you run the risk of ruining the fruits integrity.

Q: How do you know when the food items are completely dry?

A: Check the food to see if it is still sticky or slightly moist. If the item is

leathery or pliable, it is usually ready. However, foods that are over driedmay become brittle and turn brown.

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