confusion regarding dehydrator

[smarison]

Ok so is dehydrating fruits and veggies not as good or is this OK? I feel I am getting some different thoughts. I am looking forward to it, but also looking forward to loosing some weight. Help. Thanks Susan

[Rawkinlocs]

Fresh is always optimal, but dehydrating (at low enough temps...important!) is also acceptable - at least here it is accepted by most and it's part of the approach to raw that is advocated here, namely, Alissa's approach as taught in her book.

Some members, however, have decided not to eat dehydrated foods as a personal choice or perhaps due to it not making them feel as optimal. All you can do is try it and see how it does in your own body - every has an opinion and they differ. So, some will say one thing and some will say another - hence why one of the motto's around these parts is to listen to your own body.

I don't feel one's diet should consist primarily of dehydrated foods, but I don't see any harm in incorporating them where you see fit. They are also good transition foods for someone coming from a cooked food diet as many dehydrated items can mimic, in texture, cooked foods yet, they are not "dead" foods...again, if they are dried at temps that don't go too high.

A good example is with the more cruciferous veggies such as, broccoli. Some say that such veggies "need" to be cooked in order to better digest them and get the nutrients from it. Well, one could also marinate some broccoli and then dehydrate it for an hour or so and get a similar effect without actually cooking it.

[smarison]

Thanks, how about sweet potatoes? Can I dehydrate them, will they taste like chips? Susan

[Rawkinlocs]

I think it's hit or miss with sweet potatoes. I've made them a couple of times and they turned out great and I've made them a couple of times and they didn't turn out so good. The key is to get them paper-thin by using a mandolin or spiral slicer on the flat/ribbon setting or other similar gadget...just slicing with a knife or the slicer blade of a food processor won't get them thin enough. From there, you'd toss lightly in oil and season as desired...either with sea salt, sea salt and pepper, cayenne, chili powder and other spices, etc. and then dehydrate on the mesh tray until completely dry and crunchy. They won't be like SAD chips, but if you get a good batch out of 'em, they're good in their own right!

[smarison]

Thanks, hmm maybe coconut oil, the only problem is that doesn't spread well. What kind ofslicer should I get? Are they expensive?

[NifteThrifte]

A lot of people use a spiral slicer.

[smarison]

thanks for the info. Have a good day.