Last Updated on September 29, 2018 by Patricia Carter
SUMMARY: Learn Why and HOW to dehydrate apples and preserve the enzymes! Spoiler alert: Properly dehydrating apples at a low temperature preserves maximum nutritional density and natural live enzymes since you can use organic apples picked seasonally and locally at their peak of ripeness, and the internal temperature of the fruit stays below 118F which maintains active enzymes! The total dehydration time for this recipe is about 12 hours!
How to Dehydrate Apples to Preserve Live Enzymes
My directions incorporate the Excalibur-9-Tray-Digital-Controller-Dehydrator-76970-User-Manual.pdf, Raw and Living Food Guidelines, Excalibur Dehydration Guide. This manual explains that nutritional value AND enzymes are preserved if the INTERNAL temperature of the fruit is kept UNDER 118°F/48°C:
“One of the most important characteristics of raw foods, is they are easier for your body to digest than cooked food. The enzymes are what make raw foods easier to digest than cooked foods. When food is cooked the enzymes become deactivated by heat. During the digestive process, the natural food enzymes assist your body’s digestive enzymes in breaking down food into digestive proteins. By eating more raw foods, your body does not have to work as
hard to digest the foods, which gives your body more vibrant energy in other areas, making you feel stronger, healthier and happier.
Dehydration is the best way to preserve the essence of raw fruits and vegetables. Dehydrating does not subject foods to the high temperatures associated with cooking, or traditional canning
methods. When raw food is heated to an internal food temperature of 118ºF/48ºC or higher, for an extended period of time, its nutritional values begin to deteriorate, especially enzymes.
Canning also leaches out water-soluble vitamins and minerals, which also depletes the healthy qualities of the raw-living foods.”
Maximize nutrient density by using seasonal, freshly picked, organic apples!
Apples in your grocery store can be a year or more old, without antioxidants and taste (see That apple you just bought might be a year old – but does it matter?) For that matter, year old apples, without antioxidants and without live enzymes, may very well be used for the dried apples you are paying dearly for in the grocery, as well as processed foods like applesauce or juices:
- Freshly picked apples left untreated will last a few weeks before they turn soft and rot, so they’re often stored under temperature-controlled conditions that allow them to last up to 10 months. Once they’re removed from storage, however, the clock starts ticking again. — U.S. Department of Agriculture
- “To slow the proverbial sands of time, some fruit distributors treat their apple bins with a gaseous compound, 1-methylcyclopropene. It extends the fruits’ post-storage quality by blocking ethylene, a colorless gas that naturally regulates ripening and aging.” — U.S. Department of Agriculture
- The same chemical is used to lessen the “de-greening of broccoli, browning of lettuce, and bitterness in carrots,” according to the USDA. — U.S. Department of Agriculture
- Although antioxidants and taste disappears over time, experts tell TODAY.com, such treatments are perfectly safe for eating. “Apples are especially rich in polyphenols, a type of antioxidant.” Those antioxidants appear to disappear over time. The website Food Renegade cites research that claims a year-old apple may retain close to none of its antioxidant properties. Fernstrom said there may be truth to the correlation between age and decreasing antioxidant value, but stated that the use of ethylene doesn’t appear to be the reason for it. “A recent study suggests that the amount of antioxidants in apples might drop with extended storage because these antioxidants are found in the peel, not the flesh of the apple.” — That apple you just bought might be a year old – but does it matter. NOTE: I don’t get Ferstrom’s peel rationale, just saying…
- Apples stored this way may appear in the produce section of your grocery or they may be used to make juices, applesauce, frozen pies and other types of processed foods. — That apple you just bought might be a year old – but does it matter
Apple Quality Matters — Buy fresh and organic!
Beyond apple age, you also want to have full control over the quality of apples you eat. Apples are on EWG’s Dirty Dozen list. You want to buy apples that are organic or locally grown, they may not be officially labeled “organic” but are grown as such (talk to your farmer). Surprisingly, even organic apples were treated with two antibiotics up until 2014. This loophole pierced the “organic” definition as we more commonly understand. The Center for Food Safety reports “policy makers temporarily allowed both streptomycin and tetracycline as the exception to the organic rule to combat fire blight, a destructive bacteria that attacks tree blossoms, limbs, and shoots. Last year, tetracycline was banned and now, with the NOSB’s latest vote to rid organic of streptomycin, all uses of antibiotics in organic have been completely eliminated,” effective October 12, 2014. For current status on attempts to reinstate antibiotics for organics, see Washington State University, Fire Blight Control in Organic Apples and Pears.
How-To Dehydrate Apples & Preserve the Enzymes, EASY
Notes
A mandoline slicer makes quick work of thinly slicing apples. An apple corer helps too. See the post for details.
This recipe follows "Raw and Living Foods," contained in the "Excalibur-9-Tray-Digital-Controller-Dehydrator-76970-User-Manual.pdf." This link should fix the broken link for the Excalibur Dehydration Guide.
Source of recipe is website post: How to Dehydrate Apples Preserve the Enzymes Easy, Biome Onboard Awareness, LLC
Ingredients
- Organic apples (about 2 very large apples fill one dehydrator tray)
- Lemons (if you are filling nine dehydrator trays, you'll use the juice of one or two lemons)
- Filtered water
Instructions
- Working with three apples at a time, core them and then slice thinly, about 1/8" thick. This goes very fast if you use a corer and a mandoline, but these are not necessary. You can slice the apples crossing through the core to have circles, or lengthwise parallel to the core for solid apple chunks.
- Dip each slice in a solution of 1 part lemon juice to 4 parts filtered water. I just toss a bunch into a low flat dish filled with solution and remove slices one by one, gathering up a bunch, but holding them over the dish to drain excess solution.
- Spread slices on dehydrator trays; they can touch but not overlap.
- Dehydrate at 145F for 2 hours and then lower the temperature to 118F until sufficiently dehydrated which for me, occurs around bedtime. Check sufficient dehydration by placing a few in a Ziploc type bag; if no condensation forms they are sufficiently dehydrated.
- Cool and pop into glass air tight jars.
Nutrition Facts
How-To Dehydrate Apples & Preserve the Enzymes, EASY
Serves: Tons! Always a welcome share!
|
Amount Per Serving: Snack size due to fructose load concerns.
|
||
|---|---|---|
| Calories | ||
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat none! | 0% | |
| Saturated Fat | 0 | |
| Trans Fat | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 | |
| Sodium | 0 | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 0 | |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 | |
| Sugars | ||
| Protein | ||
| Vitamin A | Vitamin C | |
| Calcium | Iron | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
BIOME ONBOARD AWARENESS: THE SCIENCE BEHIND FOOD, OUR MICROBIOME, AND DISEASE
Portion control & Fructose Loads (think FODMAPS)
Proper dehydration magnifies and concentrates flavor in the thin slices. Only a few slices truly satiates a sweet tooth since they are so nutrient dense and flavor packed. Thus, portion control is a huge benefit since many whole apples now marketed are huge and truly more than one serving.
This concept is especially important for those using diet to manage IBS, IBD or other chronic disease and who want to limit fructose loads (see the below slide for levels, think FODMAPS, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, GAPS, or PALEO user.)
Favorite uses for properly prepared apples
- They are always in a jar on our kitchen island. All snack in passing.
- They are added to recipes, especially homemade granola using properly prepared soaked/dehydrated nuts.
- Fantastic travel snack.
- The best way to preserve apples between seasonal harvest.
- The perfect hostess gift.
- Great for packaging in parcels shipped to college.
- Use in school lunch and athletic event treats, and of course
- Add to the holiday cookie platters shared with family and friends; these apples have become a favorite on those plates. Honestly though, I doubt many recipients realize the reason they are particularly drawn to their deliciousness is because they are properly prepared to maximize nutrition density and enzymes!
Is a Dehydrator Needed for dehydrating apples (or nuts, fruits, jerky for that matter)?
Probably… most use a dehydrator but you can crack open an oven door to achieve the low bake temperature. Often though, the long bake time makes this impractical.
I recommend and use the Excalibur nine tray dehydrator; it is a kitchen workhorse as it is always fully loaded each time I run it. I keep my Excalibur set out all the time as it is awkward to move about.
Probably yes due to ENZYMES AND TEMPERATURE:
In short, you can bake the food at a 145°F temperature for two to three hours and then lower to the 118°F temperature since the temperature of the food itself will not rise above that which begins to destroy the live enzymes. As explained in Raw and Living Food Guidelines, Excalibur Dehydration Guide:
“There are many varying opinions among raw foodists concerning the temperature at which enzymes become deactivated. The most frequently quoted temperature is 118ºF/47ºC / (food temperature) based upon the studies of dr. edward howell. However, he also states that the optimal temperatures for enzymes are between 45º/7ºC and 140ºF/60ºC, and temperatures above 140ºF/60ºC will destroy all enzymes.”
“We have discovered through research and testing, that the second of these two statements is more accurate when dehydrating, and that enzymes can actually withstand food temperatures into the 140ºF/60ºC. According to Dr. John Whitaker, a world recognized enzymologist, and emeritus professor and dean of the Food Science and nutrition department at UC Davis in California; most enzymes do not become deactivated until they reach between 140ºF/60 ºC and 158ºF/70ºC. This supports Howell’s statement of 140ºF/60ºC, as well as our tests and scientific experiments.”
“We have tested food samples for enzymatic activity that were dried at temperatures up to 145ºF/63ºC and found it to be the same as in the foods dried at lower temperatures. Enzymes are also most susceptible to damage by high heat while the food is wet. Once a high percentage of the foods moisture has been removed, the enzymes become more stable or dormant, and can withstand food temperatures higher than 155ºF/68ºC, according to Viktoras Kulvinskas. When the food is rehydrated with water or in the digestive track the enzymes become active again and assist your body’s enzymes in the digestive process.”
“According to Ann Wigmore and Viktoras Kulvinskas, the best way to preserve the living enzymes, and overcome the potential of spoilage or bacteria growth, is to set the dehydrator on the
highest temperature setting for the first two or three hours, then turn it down to less than 120ºF/49ºC for the remaining time. during the initial hours the food temperature will not exceed 118ºF/47ºC because of the high moisture content in the food. neither will the air temperature immediately rise to 145ºF/63 ºC. It may take several hours to get up that high. Following this procedure will cut the lengthy (30+ hours) drying time in half. If you cannot be there to turn the dehydrator down you may set at a lower temperature between 105ºF/41ºC and 120ºF/49ºC, but keep in mind that the lower the setting, the longer it will take to dehydrate.”
Cost Considerations
Don’t choke on the Excalibur nine tray dehydrator price tag (Amazon $190). At about $3.00 for a two serving bag of Organic Washington State Fuji BareFruit Baked Crunchy Apple Chips (which likely are old apples that also have the enzymes baked out of them) dehydrating apples yourself is totally cost effective. And you can’t buy grass-fed lactose free yogurt (SCD/GAPS.PALEO – some camps), but you can make it in the Excalibur; just pull out the trays and bake away. This yogurt is a huge cost savings that results in an incredible nutrient and probiotic rich grass-fed cow or goat milk yogurt that has gut microbiome and health benefits beyond what science now knows; I make it every two weeks. See the post, CLA GRASSFED SCD YOGURT & CYTOKINE STUDIES: ERIVAN & WHOLE FOODS 365, for directions and details. Note: you can also use this yogurt to make frozen yogurt (ingredients are yogurt, honey, vanilla, ripe spotted bananas). You cannot purchase frozen yogurt without additives.
Other useful tools
A corer… a must have for quickly coring apples. The mandoline, while not necessary, makes slicing fast. I use this Leifheit mandoline which I found in Marshall’s for a decent price (under $30). Please be careful in its use; it can cut off fingers if you don’t use the guard.
Below are some ways I use my Excalibur properly prepared dehydrated apples, nuts, and buckwheat. All recipes are on my Pinterest boards. There are additional concerns inherent in nuts, seeds and grains concerning absorption and ease of digestibility that mandate proper preparation which is explained in the post, IT’S EASY TO SOAK AND DEHYDRATE NUTS.
Hoping 2015 brings you health and happiness,
Last updated: September 29, 2018 at 11:44 am
to update the yogurt instructional image to reflect the new increase in temperature which ensures kill of MAP bacteria. Prior April 7, 2018 update fixed the broken link for Raw and Living Food Guidelines, Excalibur Dehydration Guide to instead be Excalibur-9-Tray-Digital-Controller-Dehydrator-76970-User-Manual.pdf. Prior update Feb 18, 2017 was SEO optimization.
My Tips: Watch the sugar load from dried fruit!!! Do that by eating a few pieces of that dehydrated apple, or a few raisins… those are REALLY hard to limit if you eat mindlessly. A huge benefit for DIYdehydration is the total elimination of the preservatives, like sulfur dioxide, contained in commercial products. Raisins are often an exception as you can usually find those free of preservatives, but always read labels!
Is dried fruit healthy? CNN, http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/08/health/dried-fruit-healthy-food-drayer/index.html
“Dietitians and diabetes educators recommend considering 2 tablespoons of dried fruit as one serving (15 grams) of carbohydrates,” said Lori Zanini, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator. For example, 2 tablespoons of raisins is equivalent to 15 grams of carbs, but for the same amount of carbs, you can eat half a cup of red grapes, she explained. You could also eat half of a cantaloupe, minus a couple of bites (a half of a small cantaloupe has 18 grams of carbs).
Overall, dried fruit can be a nutritious, convenient and portable snack, especially when mixed with nuts and eaten as trail mix. But if sugars, carbs or calories are of concern, be sure to count out your portion of dried fruit, as it can be easy to mindlessly nibble on it.