How Freeze-Drying Enhances The Health Benefits Of Strawberries
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Strawberries are a nutrient-powerhouse, rich in nutrients and high antioxidants content. Given how strawberries are a healthy inclusion in your diet, you may be surprised to know, that you can actually make them even healthier.
Freeze-drying strawberries enhances some of the nutrients and health benefits found in this fruit. Keep reading to learn more about the health benefits of strawberries and how you can maximize them through freeze-drying.
Health Benefits Of Strawberries
This is just a short list of the health benefits of strawberries, and it will be easy to see why you should be eating them regularly. These are some of the most popular and attractive health benefits of strawberries:
- Improve digestive health through their high water content and high fiber levels
- Tons of antioxidants that limit your body’s exposure to free radicals and reduce your risk of cancer
- High levels of vitamin C that support your immune system
- Lower blood sugar levels linked to regular consumption of strawberries
- Minimize inflammation that causes diseases like arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune diseases
Read more about the Health Benefits of Strawberries here.
Why Freeze-Drying Boosts The Nutrition Of Strawberries
It is exciting to know that freeze-drying strawberries can not only maintain their nutritional benefits, but actually build on them.
Many people are afraid of freezing fruits and vegetables, for fear of sapping their nutrients. However, freeze-drying is an excellent way of preserving the nutrients of your strawberries and ensuring that you always have a good variety of produce at home.
It is believed that freeze drying strawberries improves health benefits because they are fairly touchy fruits. In fact, strawberries are best consumed within a specific range of refrigerator temperatures or a wide range of freezer temperatures.
In addition, the freezing process slightly changes the chemical structure of strawberries. As this happens, the anti-inflammatory benefits of strawberries are improved.
How To Freeze-Dry Strawberries
Freeze drying can be an intimidating process if you haven’t done it before. However, once you have frozen your own strawberries a few times, you’ll be ready to do it easily. Here’s how:
- Place fresh, whole strawberries on a wide-rimmed baking pan. You can also chop up strawberries before freezing if you know you will be using them in a diced form later.
- Then, place the strawberries in an extremely cold freezer that is -50 degrees Celsius or colder. The pans must not be touching or stacked.
- Allow the fruit to thoroughly dry and freeze. This means that they must be entirely solid when you touch it.
- Once your strawberries are completely solid and frozen, your strawberries are freeze-dried. They must be stored inside an airtight container and kept frozen until they are ready for consumption.
- If processed properly, freeze-dried foods can last for years.
- Use them in your smoothies to enjoy all of their enhanced health benefits.
Sources:
https://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=32
https://www.curejoy.com/content/freeze-dried-strawberries-significantly-lower-cholesterol-levels/
https://toxsci.oxfordjournals.org/content/52/suppl_1/95.short
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