Why Freeze Dry?

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Many types of foods can be freeze dried--from fruits and veggies to ice cream, cheese, and meat. Freeze dried food maintains its color and fresh taste making it a tasty addition to anyone's kitchen or storage room. But is it really the healthiest storage method? I found this article about freeze dried food on the LIVESTRONG website that answers that question. It cites information from credible sources about the benefits of preserving food by freeze drying it. Some of the benefits are:

• When food is freeze dried, it maintains its nutritional value.
• Freeze drying removes more water than dehydration. And less water in the stored product leads to less of a chance of bacterial growth.
• Most freeze dried food has a shelf life of 25-30 years vs. a 12 month shelf life for canned foods and only a few years for dehydrated foods.
• Freeze dried foods maintain their antioxidant levels and those antioxidants are processed through the bloodstream in the same way they would if they had been consumed fresh.
• The freeze drying process uses no preservatives or additives in order to maintain an excellent shelf life. Other preservation methods often involve the addition of preservatives and/or high levels of sodium.
• Freeze dried food is light weight, so it is a convenient way to eat healthy on the go.
• Freeze dried berries are thought to protect against cancers of the colon and esophagus (according to this American Institute for Cancer Research link.)

I originally learned most of this information from Shelf Reliance itself, but it's always nice to see it validated by other credible sources too. This information is a big part of what made me really excited to get involved with Shelf Reliance.

Freeze dried food tastes better, lasts longer, and is better for you than canned or dehydrated food. Knowing all this, why wouldn't you want to add freeze dried foods to your food storage? Or eat it now for that matter?

If you want to learn more about the process of freeze drying foods, check out this link in my consultant store.