Freeze Dried vs. Dehydrated
Can you please clarify what the difference is between Freeze Dried and Dehydrated and which is the healthier one to eat?
Thanks a bunch!
Barbara
Hi Barbara,
The dehydrated food will actually provide more nutritional value once opened and ready-to-eat. While freeze-dried retains nutritional value in the vacuum-sealed can, once open, it's porous structure causes nutrients to oxidize somewhat. It needs to be eaten fast. The paradox is that freeze-dried stores longer (25 years) than dehydrated (12 years), but it loses it's nutritional value once air hits it. Is the loss negligible? You decide. Here's a link to some labels for both dehydrated and freeze-dried foods. I would eat either one if fresh was unavailable.
https://www.freefood2go.com/downloads/WHAT_IS_MORE_NUTRITIOUS.pdf (see page 2 for labels)
Hope this helps,
Desiri Wightman, R.D.
Registered Dietitian
