Many food dehydration enthusiasts are following or are into a healthy lifestyle or diet. And for some of them, they believe that the raw food diet and a food dehydrator go hand in hand.
In this article, we will discuss about raw food diet and how a food dehydrator comes into play.
Table of Contents
What Is Raw Food Diet?
Raw food diet is a dietary practice of eating only or mostly uncooked, unprocessed, and organic food. The diet consists of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, eggs, meat, fish, and dairy products. It also considers simple processed foods like sprouted beans, cheese, and fermented foods like yogurt. However, it does not include pasteurized, homogenized, and other processed foods.
Health Benefits
Proponents of raw foodism claim that raw foods have high nutrient values than cooked food. Heating food above 118°F destroys food enzymes that aid in digestion. Other raw food enthusiasts claim that raw foods lower inflammation, help in losing weight, and prevent cancer.
However, a medical study finds that although raw food dieters have met or exceeded the recommended dietary intake of vegetables, fruits, and fats, they did not meet the recommended dietary intake of calcium-rich and protein-rich foods plus grains. It is also mentioned in the said study that further research is still needed on the larger population to validate findings and determine the extent of the reported health benefits compared to other diets.
Starting Your Raw Food Diet
Before you embark on a raw food diet, better tell your physician. Health professionals may give you sound advice regarding diet and nutrition.
Learn more about the diet by researching and asking around. Do your own research and make your own diet meal plan for a week, at least.
Once you have a plan, stock up your pantry and kitchen with the essential food items, utensils, and kitchen appliances like a food dehydrator.
However, this type of diet is strict when it comes to heating foods. That is why we have to tweak our food dehydration method a little.
Dehydrating Raw Food
When it comes to raw foods, dehydration is the least damaging among food preservation techniques. The removal of water makes the food free from spoilage and at the same time retains some of its nutritional value. Yes, fruits and vegetables are still nutritious despite being dry. Nowadays, most of the healthy foods are the ones that you can dry at home.
To dehydrate raw food, you need to keep the temperature below 102°F to 118°F. Drying times may still vary depending on the food. The rest of the methods still stay the same.
Final Thoughts
Raw food diet accepts only uncooked, unprocessed, organic foods. It may also accept foods that are simply processed but not pasteurized, homogenized, or cooked above 118°F. With a food dehydrator, you can dry raw foods without breaking the rule which gives you many options on your diet.
If you are looking for a food dehydrator that fits your budget, check out our food dehydrator reviews.
