Drying vegetables is an old and effective method of food preservation that removes the moisture to make each vegetable smaller and lighter. Drying, or dehydrating, is good for storing food for the winter, camping, hiking or backpacking. Dried vegetables are easier to transport from place to place and don't require any refrigeration if you are gone for any length of time. Drying also helps protect against mold, yeast or any other bacteria that requires moisture to grow.
Calories
When you dehydrate vegetables, the calorie content remains unchanged for each individual vegetable. If you measure the vegetables on a pound for pound basis, the dried vegetable will have significantly higher calories due to the nutrients being so concentrated when the water is removed. The fiber content of dried vegetables remains unchanged.
Vitamins
The primary vitamins found in vegetables undergo some changes in the dehydration process. Vitamin A is retained within the vegetables relatively well, but the vitamin C content is mostly destroyed after the vegetables are blanched and dried. B vitamins thiamin, riboflavin and niacin lose some potency during blanching, but you can get it back if you consume the water used to rehydrate the vegetables.
Minerals
Most of the minerals found in vegetables will suffer some loss during rehydration if the soaking water is not used, but the losses are usually minimal. Some examples of minerals include magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and selenium. Iron levels are not affected at all by the drying process.
Methods
The best way to dry vegetables at home is with a thermostat-controlled electric food dehydrator. They usually come with several levels and trays and instructions for each type of food to be dried. If a dehydrator is not in the plans, you can dry vegetables in your regular oven. Just turn it on the lowest setting, around 150 degrees Fahrenheit, prop the door open slightly to allow moist air to vent out. Switch the trays from front to back every half hour and watch closely because vegetables can scorch if left in too long.
Uses
One cup of dried vegetable generally equals two cups of reconstituted vegetables. Vegetables should be blanched in water for several minutes prior to drying. Reconstituted vegetables are tasty additions to stews, casseroles, soups and sauces.
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