When fresh vegetables are abundant, they are naturally the best choice. Eating 300~500 grams of vegetables daily offers numerous health benefits. However, in certain special situations where it's difficult to ensure a steady supply of vegetables, dried vegetables are an excellent supplement.
Nevertheless, during the dehydration process, inevitable losses occur in soluble and unstable components of vegetables such as vitamin C, folic acid, carotenoids, and chlorophyll. Products dried by hot air, in particular, show significant losses in vitamins, chlorophyll, and carotenoids.
However, like dried fruits, dehydrated vegetables also have certain nutritional advantages, mainly in the following aspects:
Fiber: Similar to dried fruits, dried vegetables retain most of their dietary fiber.
Minerals: During processing, if vegetables undergo water-contacting processes like blanching, soaking, and rehydration, some minerals are lost. However, food additives such as calcium salts and iron salts may be added during processing, which can increase mineral content. Therefore, the overall loss of minerals is not significant.
Sugars: Unlike fruits, vegetables naturally contain very little sugar. Therefore, after dehydration, there is no need to worry about sugar content or be overly cautious about the amount you eat. Dried vegetables can be consumed without concern.
Long Shelf Life: Dehydrating vegetables creates an environment unsuitable for microbial growth, preventing the proliferation of microorganisms, especially pathogens, thus achieving a preservative and fresh-keeping effect. It also offers advantages such as being lightweight, convenient to eat, and having a long storage life.
However, it's also important to note that, like dried fruits, some vegetable crisps and other snacks are vacuum-fried products, which have a high fat content, sometimes even exceeding 15%. These are not recommended choices.
Dried vegetables can be prepared in many ways. For example, dried cabbage can be used in fillings or for stewing with meat. Dried onion, spinach, and carrots are suitable for soups. Dried pickled mustard green is often used to make Meigan cai (a type of preserved vegetable), while dried white radish and eggplant can be stir-fried or served cold in a salad.
It is best to choose root vegetables, gourds, and some leafy vegetables with low water content, as they dry faster, are less prone to mold, and are easier to control. Vegetables suitable for drying include cabbage, eggplant, carrots, onions, spinach, and pickled mustard green. Among these, eggplant and carrots should be briefly blanched in boiling water after being cut, while onions, cabbage, spinach, and pickled mustard green do not require blanching. Due to their slightly higher water content, white radish should be cut into strips, salted on the surface, and left to dry for a few days before being salted again to draw out more moisture.
Furthermore, when making dried vegetables, it is crucial to pay close attention to hygiene to prevent dust from settling on the vegetable surface. Also, be vigilant to ensure the dried vegetables do not become moldy due to improper drying methods.