I've been eating cooked food...

[deb]

I wrote this in my journal today. You might want to check the temps on your dehydrator.


I just found out I've been eating cooked food...
I ordered a little digital thermometer to check the temp of my dehydrator. It came today and I just checked it. With the dehydrator set on 115, the thermometer reads 127! The only way I can get it low enough is to almost turn it off... then it's 108. (It's an Excalibur) So that means onion bread - cooked. Flax crackers - cooked. Since day 13, everything we've dehydrated has been cooked. No wonder the weight loss slowed down and I haven't felt vibrant.

Oh well, now I know. February will be awesome!

[glad_2beme]

I am not an expert in this- but dont worry - from what I understand - the food does not get to that temp

[yeahbethany]

Hi Deb-
Don't fret! The thermometer you are using measures the AIR temperature, not the temperature of the food. The temperature of the food is much lower, since it has water in it (its how dehydration works-- when the air around the liquid is warmer than the liquid, the liquid will slowly evaporate, hence dehydration).

Some people (notably Gabriel Cousens) advise starting dehydration at 145 degrees (only in Excalibur dehydrators) for the first 1-3 hours depending on how wet the food is, and only then turning it down to 105-115 degrees. The reason for this is that it takes 1-3 hours for the air to actually get that hot, so speeding up the process will decrease the amount of time in the dehydrator, thus decreasing the chance of fermentation or mold.

As for not feeling as vibrant...I have to say most people claim not to feel as vibrant when they eat a lot of dehydrated food.

Hope this makes you feel a bit better!

[askcassyfirst]

I just wanted to reiterate what Bethany just wrote. I have read the same information in many places.

Also, when I first went raw, I had no dehydrator, but lived in a very hot dry climate in the islands, and I would dehydrate things in the sun. Some days it would be as high as 115 out there, and under direct sunlight, I am SURE the foods were as least as warm to the touch, as those in the Excalibur. But, I figured that dehydrated foods were not the staple of my diet, I used them as filler, as the "bread" to accompany my fresh salads and avocados, and fruits, as transition, etc, So I didn't fret.

Despite the fact that I ate some dehydrated foods I experienced a dramatic heath change, for the better. I lost weight, my blood sugar improved, my skin cleared, my hair got shinier...It was a transition time, but I still include dehydrated food in my diet. (I am currently making yam chips!)

Hope that makes you feel a bit more comfortablle....

Cassy.

[deb]

Oh thank you all so much! I was feeling a little discouraged, frankly but what you're saying makes sense. I'm glad too, because it won't take so long to dehydrate things!!

It's great Cassy, that your health improved so much. that's encouraging.

[Helen Of Tennessee]

Hi Deb,

Isn't this board great? I just checked the times from when you first posted and when you responded. It took only 11 minutes!!!! So you didn't have to worry for too long. You're still RAW :D

I had worried a little about that too. When I made the onion bread I thought it felt pretty warm. I have a round one - 5 trays. The bottom is always hotter than the top. I'm always switching the trays around and I wondered if I was cooking it or not.

I'm going to make to make another batch (have to cut in 1/2 due to lack of space) and make enough onion bread to take to our Raw Potluck, then I'm going to return the dehydrator to the owner.

I'm debating if I'm going to buy a dehyrator or not as I feel better when I eat just fresh fruits and veggies. Dehyrated foods do drag me down a little. Once I get Alissa's book/DVD, I'm probably going to wish I had one.

<>< Helen of Tennessee