Are Freeze-Dried Foods Healthy? And Other FAQs

There are many ways to preserve foods, varying from freeze-dried, dehydrated, canned, fermented, and frozen. But we will focus on why and how freeze-dried foods are healthy, nutritious, good for you, and downright delicious. 

Many tasty foods out there can be freeze-dried and reconstituted to create everyday meals. They are great on their own or can be used as an addition to a great family meal or as a tasty dish just for one. 

So how is the freeze-dried food you eat a healthy choice? Well, stick around, kid, because you are about to learn just why freeze-dried food is a nutritional and delicious delight that your taste buds are sure to thank you for. 

Why is freeze-dried food good for you, you ask? Well…

• You may not believe it, but it’s true – freeze drying preserves 97% of the nutrients in food, which, compared to other methods such as canning (40% preserved) or dehydrating (60% preserved), is a pretty big difference. 
• Freeze-dried food is unlike Shrinky Dinks (you remember those baked toys from the ’80s). Freeze-dried food holds its original form. But that’s not all. It also maintains much of the original texture and flavor. And because it doesn’t shrink, it does not make the food tough or weirdly chewy. 
• Let’s talk about the excellent shelf-life of healthy freeze-dried meals. This is an especially enticing little factoid for those who are all about food storage. When stored correctly (in rooms with adequate temperature and humidity control), freeze-dried food can last up to 25 years and still be as yummy as the day you bought it. And for food storage, you can purchase freeze-dried food bulk style. 
• Freeze-drying is not a new-fangled thing. It has been around for years and years, precisely since about 1906. Not only did astronauts get to float around eating ice cream in space, but freeze-drying was also used in wars to preserve blood, which made it more convenient when wounded soldiers were in need. Brilliant, right? 
• Preservatives? Additives? Pffft… healthy freeze-dried meals have little to none of these unwanted things. Freeze-drying food uses natural foods and ingredients. 
• Here is one of the most extraordinary things about freeze-drying foods – things such as fruits and candies can be (and are often preferred to be) enjoyed without rehydration. They maintain their nutritional value. Simply pop them in your mouth and savor the joy they bring to your taste buds. 

Now, what is the nitty-gritty of freeze-drying fruits and vegetables? 

Believe it or not, fruits and vegetables can be more nutritious than non-freeze-dried. Why? You ask? They maintain their prime nutrients when picked at their optimal ripeness during their peak harvest season and are immediately freeze-dried or flash-frozen. 

Fruits and vegetables found in grocery stores are picked, packed, and transported, which takes days or weeks. The product will slowly lose some of its nutritional value during this time. 

When you freeze dry fruits and vegetables in their prime, you can enjoy them with their total nutritional value year-round, regardless of whether they are in season. 

How does freeze-drying food maintain nutrients? 

It only takes seconds for food to go from fresh to freeze-dry, locking in all the essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients inside. Very little heat is used in this process. In contrast, other methods, such as dehydrating and canning, use a significant amount of heat in their process, which releases a large amount of vitamins and minerals from the food. 

Besides locking in the nutrients, freeze-drying also locks in the flavor due to the quick freezing process. This means that your healthy freeze-dried meals are both nutritional and delectable. Some people believe that freeze-dried foods are bland and taste like cardboard, but they are dead wrong. These yummy morsels are sure to wow your senses. 

Now, keep this in mind. This fact could be great if you love sugar, but not so much if you don’t. Because freeze-drying food is unique, sugary foods will keep that sweet-goodness flavor locked in. So for those with a sweet tooth, you are in luck. 

Just like regular sweet foods, freeze-drying does not remove any of the sugar content, so you should indulge in the confectionery glory of these treats as you would with any non-freeze-dried goodies. However, while freeze-dried fruits may have a higher sugar content than dried or canned foods, it maintains a much higher level of nutrients overall. 

I know we’ve gone over most of these, but I think it is essential to have a reminder of the advantages of freeze-dried foods. So, here is a quick recap: 

• Preserving and storing more food items – we all know that fruits and vegetables are money when it comes to being freeze-dried. Still, many other foods can use this process successfully, such as dairy, fish, meat, eggs, candy (like freeze-dried skittles and taffy), ice cream, and fully-cooked meals. 
• The shelf-life is the gift that keeps giving – storing your freeze-dried food at room temperature in a humidity-controlled environment will let your food last for up to 25 years. 
• Nutritional value – 97% is a ginormous number regarding the amount of nutrients retained during the freeze-drying process. 
• Flavor – some people eat for fuel only and not for pleasure (I pity these fellas). Food is delicious and is meant to fuel our bodies while being tasty and enjoyable. Freeze-dried food is precisely that: tasty and satisfying. 
• Freeze-drying candy – you better believe you can get your sweet treats in freeze-dried form. Grab a bag of starbursts or gummy bears, snuggle up in your favorite cozy blanket, chillax on the couch, binge-watch some Netflix, or read that new book you’ve been excited to dive into while you munch on some of your favorite freeze-dried sweet-candy snacks. 

Are you wondering where you can get some of these delicious sweet treats? Look no further. Candy Jan has all the wonderful freeze-dried candies that your heart could possibly desire. Contact us today and stock up on some of the best freeze-dried candies available.