Freeze drying is the most effective food preservation method to keep the original color, taste, and nutritional value of fruits. It increases the shelf life of fruits by removing 99% of their water content while keeping 98% of their nutrients. Freeze dried fruits are as healthy as fresh ones. But some people still doubt the superior quality of freeze dried fruits.
This article focuses on freeze dried fruit benefits, how they are produced, and do they preserve the nutrients of freshly picked ones?
What Is Freeze Dried Fruit?
Freeze dried fruit is a fruit that has had its moisture content removed through lyophilization. The fruit’s frozen water evaporates without going through a liquid phase, leaving the fruit structure intact. Freeze dried fruits are shelf-stable and last longer without preservatives.
Most freeze dried fruits suppliers would say that their product retains 98% of its nutrients but loses nearly all its water content. For this reason, it is very light with a crispy texture and intense fruit flavor. Freeze drying also leaves the shape and structure of the fruit intact.
Typical freeze dried fruits include apples, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cherries, bananas, peaches, nectarines, and kiwis
Great freeze dried fruit benefits
Freeze dried fruit benefits outweigh the benefits of fruits dried in conventional methods. You have probably heard some of the benefits, such as being healthy or having a shelf life. But freeze dried fruit benefits go even further. Let’s consider some of them.
1.Longer Shelf Life
There is a direct correlation between moisture content and freeze dried fruit shelf life. The higher the moisture content, the shorter the shelf life. Freeze‐dried food is much more suitable for long‐term storage than dehydrated or frozen fruits. Since the fruit loses 98‐99 percent of the moisture during the freeze drying process, it usually has a shelf life of 25 years or more.
It is recommended that freeze dried fruits be stored in a cool, dark, and dry location at temperatures below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. For these reasons, freeze dried fruits are a great option for emergency storage and camping foods.
2.Minimal Preparation and Quick Rehydration
Almost all freeze‐dried fruits are produced ready-to-eat/ ready-to-use. This means they can be enjoyed as a handy eat‐on‐the‐go snack without rehydration. However, sometimes you need to rehydrate them for reasons such as when you use them in chocolates or sauces.
For those occasions, rehydrating freeze dried fruits and vegetables can be done using hot water in a bowl. You only need to add the water, wait a few minutes, and the fruits reconstitute to their fresh state. In most cases, it tastes so close to the original that you might be unable to tell any difference.
3.Intact Structure and Texture
As mentioned above, freeze drying occurs at low temperatures and pressure. Flash freezing stabilizes the structure, and low pressure helps remove water without changing the structure. This means the size of the fruits remains the same after drying. Unlike the dehydration method in which the fruit shrinks.
4.Concentrated Nutrition Content
Freeze drying takes place at low temperatures in a vacuum system. So the freeze‐dried fruit maintains most (97%) of its nutrients throughout the process. In this regard, it is very similar in nutritional value to its fresh form. Unlike dehydrated food, only around 60‐75% of the original nutrients are retained.
⭕Freeze dried fruits sugar content
There are a few misconceptions about the healthfulness of freeze dried fruits. One of those myths is that freeze-dried fruits have a higher sugar content than fresh fruits. Here we try to put that rumor to rest because it is not valid. The actual difference is the concentration of sugars, not the amount.
As mentioned earlier, the moisture is removed from the fruit during freeze drying. As a result, the fruit shrinks in size and concentrates the sugar content. The concentration of fruit means you can consume more servings of freeze dried fruit in one sitting than if it was consumed in its fresh form.
For example, compare a bunch of 20 grapes to a handful of 20 raisins. Both of these snacks contain the same amount of sugar, but they make you feel differently after consumption.
You are more likely to consume 20 grapes in 10 minutes and walk away feeling relatively full. But you may finish off the 20 raisins in 1 minute and still feel relatively hungry.
So, freeze-dried fruits don’t contain a higher sugar content than fresh fruits, but it is easier to eat them in larger quantities. This means eating more sugar in a shorter period of time.
⭕Freeze dried fruits fiber
As mentioned earlier, freeze dried fruits are loaded with fiber. Freeze-dried fruits contain up to 2 g of fiber per serving (10gr). For this reason, they are an excellent choice for those looking to get enough fiber in their diets.
Including the right amount of fiber in your daily diet ensures that your digestive system works properly and your cholesterol levels remain low.
Getting adequate fiber in your diet also lowers your risk of colon cancer. In most cases, freeze-dried fruit is similar in fiber content to dried fruit.
⭕Freeze dried fruits calorie content
What about calories? Most nutrition experts recommend consuming freeze dried fruits as a supplement to your diet. They believe freeze dried fruits are as health-giving as they should be. However, they should not replace your diet. This is why.
Most brands of freeze-dried fruit contain less than 40 calories per 10-gram serving. If you are on a low-calorie diet (e.g., trying to lose weight), including reasonable amounts of freeze-dried fruits will satisfy your sweet tooth.
However, consuming too many freeze dried fruits can harm your health for the same reason. Because freeze-dried fruits lack water, they are highly concentrated. This means they contain more calories per serving than their original form.
For example, if one cup of strawberry has 100 calories, it slightly reduces in size when you freeze dry that same amount. One cup of freeze-dried strawberry will contain more pieces of fruit and more calories than one cup of fresh strawberry.
⭕Freeze dried fruits antioxidants
A study conducted by the Sheffield Hallam University, UK, found that freeze drying had little or no effect on total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total phenolic content (TPC) in freeze dried fruits. The study included freeze dried lime, strawberry, blackcurrant, broccoli, and red bell pepper.
Freeze drying concentrates the antioxidant contents in the freeze dried fruit. For example, a quarter-cup of freeze-dried blackberries has the same antioxidants as a full cup of fresh blackberries. This means freeze dried blackberries have a bigger impact on your health. You can take them to reduce free radical damage in your body.A word of caution: None of the information provided here should be taken as medical or professional advice.
5.Fresh Taste
A well-known advantage of freeze dried fruits is related to their flavor. Flavor is important in food. Foods are not eaten if they taste bad. Fresh fruit tastes are essentially retained in freeze-dried fruits because the process involves very little heat. This keeps in the flavor, maintains original texture, and secures the natural aromas. Most people would agree that freeze dried fruits win the taste test over other types of dried fruits.
6.Greater Variety of Choices
As mentioned earlier freeze dried fruits are still considered raw as they have not received much heat treatment. Unlike dehydrated fruits that need to be sliced for efficient hydration, fruits can be freeze dried as whole fruits, chunks, granules, and powder. So you have more food options with freeze drying than with dehydrating.
Freeze drying works the same for whole fruits and fruit pieces.
- Large fruits are typically cut into halves, slices, or cubes before freeze drying. Small fruits like berries are freeze dried whole.
- Freeze dried fruit may also be ground into a fine powder for flavoring smoothies and desserts.
7.Travel Friendly
If you keep your stored food in your pantry or emergency food storage until used, weight isn’t an issue. Freeze dried fruits are delicious treats and great meals to take on camping trips, hikes, and even in your travel bag. Freeze dried fruits are the top choice if weight is a critical factor. They are much lighter than dehydrated fruits because of the less moisture content.
Conclusion
In this article, we discussed only a few freeze dried fruit benefits. I am sure there are many other such advantages such as emergency food or using in dishes. The way freeze dried fruits are produced affects their goodness. Freeze dried fruits have undergone minimum changes from their fresh state, so they are as good as fresh fruits. And in some instances, such as camping, they work even better than fresh ones.
Are there any benefits you want to add to the list? Please write in the comment section.
FAQ
Can we use freezr dried fruit in baking recipe, instead of fresh fruits.
Yes
It’s so interesting information. May I know more about the technology and the cost?
Thank you in advance.
It is a bit difficult to find the exact figure as there are many variables involved.