Raw Foods-Dehydration

Online summary: 650 words
Printed version: 1700 words

• Introduction
• How Dehydration Changes Food
• What's Made in a Dehydrator
• Why Dehydrate?
• Raw Food Dehydration Temperature
• Can You Use Your Conventional Oven?
• How Long Does It Take?
• Selecting a Dehydrator
• The Excalibur Dehydrator
• The Paraflexx Sheet
• Flip It?
• Dried Food Storage
• How Long Will It Last?
• Caution
• Recipes
• Use Your Leftovers
• Dehydrator Maintenance
• Tips

• Once a food is heated above approximately 115°F (46°C), its enzyme levels and many nutrient levels begin to diminish
• Many tools are used to prepare food in a way that will preserve enzyme activity and nutrient levels, yet allow for creative and varied preparations. A food dehydrator (used at a low temperature) is the raw foodist’s “oven,” acting to affect the appearance, texture, and flavor of the food without the high heat that causes enzyme and nutrient loss

• Flavors are concentrated, making natural food flavors more intense
• Drier textures are created; chewy, crispy, crunchy textures become possible with raw foods
• Dehydration (depending on the dryness level) can preserve food for months that would otherwise spoil within days

These are some of the amazing raw food substitutes you can make with a dehydrator that replace cooked versions.

• “Baked” stuffed vegetables
• Burgers and patties
• “Cooked” vegetables (marination is accelerated by a
• dehydrator, imparting a cooked look and feel)
• Crusts for pies, quiches, and pizza
• Dulse chips
• Energy and dessert bars
• Flax Crackers (recipe provided in chart)
• Fruit and vegetable chips (recipe provided in chart)
• Fruit leather (recipe provided in chart)
• Germinated nuts/seeds, either seasoned or plain
• Granola
• Nut “cheese”
• Nut crackers and cookies (tips provided in chart)
• Pancakes
• Sprouted grain breads and crackers
• Thickened/reduced sauces
• “Warm” food

• Food can be started at a temperature of 145°F (62°C) for foods with high water content. Because the food “sweats” out its moisture, thereby reducing the food temperature, 145°F (62°C) is a safe temperature for raw foods for up to 3 hours. The Excalibur Dehydrator company has shown that this is ideal for reducing the potential for bacterial growth as well as reducing overall dehydration time
• This temperature setting is a very conservative estimate for raw food purposes.

• If you have a convection oven (one that has a fan) and you are certain that the temperature stays low enough, it can work as a dehydrator. Be sure to check the temperature periodically—even when using a dehydrator—to be sure that the gauges are accurate

Factors that affect dehydration time:

• How full the dehydrator is
• The moisture content of the food
• The humidity level of the room
• Thickness of the food
• Desired dryness level (i.e. just warm or a completely crispy cracker)

• When using a solid sheet to dry a wet food, flipping will generally need to occur in order to dry evenly without spoilage. Some foods are easily turned over by hand, while others are more challenging

• Store in airtight bags or containers
• For storage of dried items longer than 1 month, keep food in a cool, dry place to prevent rancidity (refrigeration is suitable)
• Refrigerate partially dried foods

• Some thick items may spoil before they dehydrate
• Be aware of undesirable fermentation; this can be detected by a tangy, vinegar-like taste coupled with a slightly off flavor sensation

• Find information fast when you need it! Keep our guide on your fridge so you can quickly reference tips for producing great Green Chips, Fruit Leather, Soaked Nuts and Seeds, and Flax Crackers

• Most food can be dehydrated. If you can’t bring yourself to finish leftovers before they spoil, dehydrate them!
• For marinated salads, wash off the dressing (if it contained oil or avocado) and spread on a tray
• For patés, form into crackers or patties and dehydrate
• For sprouted grain salads, blend to create a batter, then spread on a tray