People who follow a raw diet do not eat food heated above 116 degrees Fahrenheit, explains the Raw and Living Foods website. Most "rawists" are also vegan, meaning they eat only plant foods and no animal products at all -- including dairy and eggs. To be considered a raw foodist, at least 75 percent of your diet must come from raw foods. A raw diet does not have to consist of cold salads and smoothies. A dehydrator provides a way to change the texture of foods as well as to create warm preparations.
How a Dehydrator Works
A dehydrator uses low temperatures to dry food. Rawists eat raw food to preserve specific enzymes that they believe are the life-force of food and enhance its nutrition and ability to be digested. A dehydrator removes the water from the raw food, but keeps these enzymes intact.
Uses
Raw foodists soak nuts before consuming them to help release the natural enzymes. Dehydrating the nuts after this soaking process makes them more palatable and restores their crunch. Granola, crackers, egg plant "bacon" and cookies are just some of the other foods that may be prepared with a dehydrator. In cold months, a dehydrator allows a rawist to eat warm food without actually cooking it. A dehydrator can also be used to thaw frozen food.
Specific Features
Dehydrators come in different models. Some look much like a toaster oven with four to nine shelves or trays. Dehydrators reach temperatures up to 158 degrees Fahrenheit, but rawists only use settings of 116 degrees or below. Dehydrators may utilize horizontal or vertical airflow, with the most recommended models offering the horizontal method because it provides more even distribution of air and warmth. Rawists also prefer rectangular machines to dome-shaped units.
Considerations
Many raw recipes provide specific times for dehydrating items. The actual dehydration process may take more or less time, depending on the thickness of the pieces, the humidity in the air and how crowded the dehydrator is, notes Sarma Melngailis and Matthew Kenney in "Raw Food, Real World." When dehydrating, food must be checked often to make sure it is achieving the desired texture. Dehydrating is not a quick preparation process; some crackers take three hours, while granolas may take eight to 10 hours.
Additional Equipment
Nuts and pieces of fruit may be placed directly onto the mesh screens that come with the dehydrator. Many rawists also purchase non-stick sheets to go with their dehydrator. These sheets are useful for making crackers and granola.
References
- Living and Raw Foods: Frequently Asked Questions
- "Raw Food, Real World;" Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis; 2005
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