EZ Dehydrators

Dehydrated food in itself isn't healthy or unhealthy. Dehydrated food is only as healthy as the food it was made out of. If you dry out a very unhealthy food it will still remain unhealthy, while dried fruits and vegetables are very healthy in dried forms. Dehydrated food is made by heating fresh food up over low heat for a long period of time, until the moisture level of the food has been reduced to between 3 and 5 percent. As a food preservation method, dehydration is one of the healthiest methods. When compared to canned foods dehydrated food has much more to offer.

Preservation of Vitamins and Minerals
One of the biggest benefits of dehydrating food is the preservation of vitamins and minerals. Cooking food removes a large portion of its vitamins and minerals, but most fruits and vegetables are dehydrated without being cooked. As the food is dried out the vitamins and minerals remain intact, and you have a very healthy source of food that will last for years if stored properly.

Dehydrated Food Versus Canned
Before most foods are canned they are cooked to prevent spoiling. The cooking process is known as pasteurization and it kills all of the bacteria that cause food to spoil. As the food is pasteurized some of the vitamins and minerals are lost for good. Compared to dried food pasteurized food has a lower concentration of vitamins and minerals and is generally less healthy. Many canned foods are also placed in unhealthy preservatives or syrups that add undesirable chemicals and fats to food. According to Harvard University canned foods are often higher in sodium than fresh or dried foods are as well.