# Dehydrating spinach and lettuce?



## Riverdale (Jan 20, 2008)

Anyone had luck dehydrating spinach and or leaf lettuce?
Thinking about trying it if it's worth it.


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## nehimama (Jun 18, 2005)

I've dehydrated spinach before and it works fine for me. I crumble the dried pieces into soups & stews. Haven't tried lettuce, though.


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## Speckledpup (Dec 3, 2004)

I did Swiss Chard and Kale year before last year, would just throw a good handful in my soups. Still have about 2 cup left. Stored them in just a commerical size cottage cheese tub.



I removed the stems and cut the leaves in 1x1 pieces. Placed them in as close to a single layer as I could and dried till they were crisp.


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## Merit (Jul 15, 2009)

Yes, Kale & Chard went into EVERYTHING all winter. Crumbled up in scrambled eggs..everything. (Wonder if it retained a lot of it's nutritional value dried??)


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## katy (Feb 15, 2010)

Merit said:


> Yes, Kale & Chard went into EVERYTHING all winter. Crumbled up in scrambled eggs..everything. (Wonder if it retained a lot of it's nutritional value dried??)


Sounds to me, like it does retain reasonably well, especially for adding to soups and stews, in other words don't throw out the rehydrate water. See for yourself and they list various veggies and how to do each. http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09308.html

Just a blip from their page, Nutritional Value of Dried Foods. Colorado STATE

Drying, like all methods of preservation, can result in loss of some nutrients. Nutritional changes that occur during drying include:

* Calorie content: does not change, but is concentrated into a smaller mass as moisture is removed.
* Fiber: no change.
* Vitamin A: fairly well retained under controlled heat methods.
* Vitamin C: mostly destroyed during blanching and drying of vegetables.
* Thiamin, riboflavin, niacin: some loss during blanching but fairly good retention if the water used to rehydrate also is consumed.
* Minerals: some may be lost during rehydration if soaking water is not used. Iron is not destroyed by drying.

For best retention of nutrients in dried foods, store in a cool, dark, dry place and use within a year.


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## Riverdale (Jan 20, 2008)

Thanks, can't hurt to try!


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## Merit (Jul 15, 2009)

Thx, Katy!


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