Freeze Dried Strawberries
Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C, antioxidants, and other nutrients. Freeze-drying may result in the loss of some nutrients but it will still preserve many vitamins and minerals.
Nutrition Profile
Freeze-dried strawberries boast both a high concentration of Vitamin C and dietary fiber, but they also come at the cost of having an increased sugar level.
- Calories:40
- Total Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 0mg
- Potassium: 0mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 7g
- Dietary Fiber: 2g
- Sugars:5g
- Protein: 0.5g
- Vitamin A: 0%
- Vitamin C: 90%
- Calcium: 2%
- Iron: 4%
Are Freeze Dried Strawberries Healthy?
The amount of fruit needed in an individual’s diet may not be clear based on conflicting reports. There is no argument that it should be a balanced and healthy part of the diet, but there are questions about how beneficial fruits can be because they have high sugar content.
Selecting healthy fruits can be difficult, and you may not know which type of fruit to choose. There are several types of fruits available on the market; including fresh fruits and freeze-dried.
What Are Freeze-Dried Fruits?
Freeze-dried fruits are a nutritious option for when you need something healthy to snack on. Freeze-drying is the process of preserving frozen fruit by removing water without raising its temperature. Freeze-drying removes water much more efficiently than regular drying, reducing the fruit’s water content by about 99%.
Though the texture of freeze-dried fruit is more akin to a raisin than a fresh strawberry, I prefer its smart packaging and longer shelf life. Freeze-dried fruit is delicious no matter how it’s eaten! When added to oatmeal, cereal, or acai bowls, the freeze-dried fruit adds a tanginess and sweetness that make these foods even tastier. Freeze-dried fruits have a crunchy texture that makes them perfect for an afternoon snack.
Though freeze-dried foods are not new, they have recently experienced a surge in popularity due to their versatility and potential health benefits.
Freeze-Dried Strawberries
Strawberry is one of the most popular freeze-dried fruit for consumers. They have a sweet, familiar taste that can be easily added to other breakfast foods or snacks in the middle of the day. In addition, both adults and children can enjoy foods like yogurts and oatmeal when they are topped with crunchy, freeze-dried strawberries.
How Does Freeze-Drying Affect Fruit?
When freeze-drying fruits, they retain most of their shape, color, and structure while removing the majority of their water content. The fruit’s natural flavor is also retained since no artificial additives or sugars are required.
Freeze-dried fruit contains a higher concentration of nutrients and sugars than fresh fruit, leading many to believe that freeze-dried and dried fruit has more sugar than the fresh variety. However, although it is true that there’s a difference in the concentration of sugar—not quantity—that change takes place only in freeze-dried fruits.
Are Freeze-Dried Fruits Nutritious?
Freeze-dried fruits offer health benefits in addition to being flavorful. Adding freeze-dried fruits to your daily diet can help boost immunity, prevent gastrointestinal problems, and regulate blood pressure.
Nutrients
However, the nutritional content of freeze-dried fruit is similar to that of fresh fruit. For example, both freeze-dried and fresh strawberries are rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C. When fruit is freeze-dried, some of the nutrients may be lost during the process. However, there are still many health benefits that are included. Common nutrients found in fruits, like Vitamin C, iron, and potassium help improve the health of your immune system while regulating blood pressure.
Sugar
Freeze-dried fruit may reach a higher concentration of sugar than regular dried produce, but that does not mean you should eliminate freeze-dried products from your diet. Unlike conventional dried foods, freeze-dried fruits are made without added sugars and therefore maintain their natural sweetness after processing.
Low in Calories
Eating low-calorie freeze-dried fruit is an excellent way to enjoy a sweet snack without the guilt. Reading the packaging can help you avoid unnecessary calories from certain products.
Rich in Fiber
Foods high in fiber, such as fruits and vegetables, are essential to a well-balanced diet. Freeze-dried fruit is an excellent source of fiber because it has about the same level of fiber content as a fresh or dried fruit. Fiber regulates your digestive system and lowers cholesterol levels. It also helps protect against heart disease and colon cancer.
Antioxidant Properties
Antioxidants fight free radicals which cause damage to cells throughout the body. Consuming freeze-dried fruits rich in antioxidants can help your system fight illnesses, such as heart disease and cancer.
Freeze-Dried Fruit vs. Fresh Fruit
When it comes to nutrition, there are not many differences between freeze-dried and fresh fruit. Both pieces of fruit can be healthy additions to any diet, with the difference often being a matter of personal preference or needs.
Taste
Freeze-dried fruit may not taste as good as fresh fruit, but it still comes close. Other fruits like freeze-dried strawberries and blueberries have been processed more than other kinds of dried fruits, making them fairly flavorful in their own right. One difference between fresh and freeze-dried fruit is its texture. Fresh fruit has a chewy, hard textured feel to it while some freeze-dried fruit remains crunchy and crispy.
Shelf-Life
The greatest benefit of freeze-dried fruits is that the shelf life is much longer than most fresh fruit, lasting for years in a pantry rather than days. Consumers who want more space in their refrigerator might consider replacing fresh or frozen fruit with freeze-dried versions of the same fruit.
On-the-Go
Fresh fruit and freeze-dried fruit are both great snacks for travelers who are always on the go. They’re nutritious, delicious, and they can easily fit into any bag you have with you. However, freeze-dried fruits because they contain no water weight lack bulk, and are considered low on the food chain. Freeze drying is preferred by individuals who need to limit their total weight like hikers and astronauts.
How to Freeze-Dry Fruit
Most grocery stores now offer freeze-dried fruit loaves such as strawberries, bananas, and blueberries. If your local supermarket does not carry freeze-dried fruit or the specific freeze-dried fruit you want, it is possible to make your own. All that is required are dry ice (frozen CO2), a 5-gallon bucket, and favorite fruit.
Here are the 7 easy steps to freeze-dry your own strawberries at home:
- Wash strawberries in cool water and dry them with a clean kitchen towel.
- Slice the strawberries thinly.
- Put the slices in a Ziploc bag and press the air out of it.
- Place a layer of dry ice evenly on the bottom of your cooler. Place hard fruits, like apples, pears, peaches, and berries in the bags and stack them horizontally so they don’t roll around.
- Seal the cooler but allow some air to escape so ice can evaporate.
- Make sure to seal the lid after all of the ice has evaporated.
- You can either keep the fruit in the cooler or make sure that you store any bags of fruit in a cool, dry place.
DIY Freeze Dryer
If you’re passionate about freeze-drying but don’t have the equipment in your home, check out some of the many machines for sale online. A freeze-dryer is a machine that freezes your food first and then dries it out, so you don’t need to provide as much energy or time. Researching the purchase of a freeze-dryer before buying is crucial because they are expensive on average.