Grace's Question: I'm sure after reading your web site, you feel there is no need for a dehydrator.
But....just wondering what your thoughts are on them. Tribest just came out with a new one called the Sedona, which costs $369.00. It seems a lot of raw fooders use them, when I pick up a recipe book on raw food, some times I'm disappointed because a lot of the recipes call for dehydration.
What do you think? Is it good for transition? Or should it not be bothered with at all?
Andrew's Answer:
Hi Grace.
It's understandable that you'd be frustrated with the selection of recipes in most raw food books.
However, I don't think there's a universal need to condemn dehydrated foods as always harmful.
While you certainly are risking your teeth by eating lots of dehydrated food, and they don't digest all that well, if you're sensible about using dehydrated fruits and vegetables they can make an ok occasional treat.
For instance, one recipe from Savory Raw dressings and Sauces contains a dehydrated ingredient - several tomatoes. A few are suggested as an optional addition. When soaked in water to improve digestibility and blended in with whole tomatoes and healthy herbs, they add a thickness and flavor that's tasty.
Should you be doing this all the time? No, and becoming dependent on dried foods for a flavor boost is also a pitfall you should avoid.
But as an occasional treat, I don't think it will cause any problems.
Personally, I couldn't justify the purchase of a $369 dehydrator. I mean, think of all the whole raw produce you could buy for that price. If you determined that you wanted to have dehydrated foods on special occasions, it would probably take you years for the purchase to pay for itself because dried vegetables and fruit tends to be relatively inexpensive.
To Sum Up:
Rely on whole raw fruits and raw vegetables if you want optimal health. If you'd like to get a bit more adventurous periodically by adding a small amount of dried food, I think you'll be ok.
