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Fruit Powders: Your New Secret Ingredient
By: admin On: 22 May 2024
Better Fruit Powders. A convenient and nutritious addition to any kitchen, are you ready to make fruit powders your new secret ingredient?
What are Fruit Powders?
Fruit powders are a convenient and nutritious addition to any kitchen. Essentially, they are fresh fruits that have been dried and pulverized into a fine powder. This process typically involves freeze-drying or dehydrating the fruits to remove their water content, while preserving the maximum amount of nutrients and flavour. The result is a concentrated fruit product, packed with the same vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants as the original fruit, but in a form that's easy to store and versatile in its use.
Not just for the health-conscious, fruit powders have long been used by pastry chefs and chocolatiers for their bright colours and concentrated flavours.
How are Fruit Powders Made?
The process of making fruit powders involves a few crucial steps. Initially, high-quality, ripe fruits are selected and thoroughly cleaned. After that, they are sliced into thin pieces to ensure even drying. The fruit slices are then subjected to a drying process, commonly freeze-drying or dehydration.
In freeze-drying, the fruit slices are frozen and then placed in a vacuum chamber to eliminate the ice content by sublimation. Dehydration involves circulating hot, dry air around the fruits to remove their water content. Both methods help to retain the nutritional value and natural colour of the fruits, yet dehydration is considered to be the superior of the two. Finally, the dried fruit pieces are ground into a fine powder using a pulverizer. This fruit powder is then packaged and ready for use.
Boost Nutrients fruit powders
Our Boost Nutrients fruit powders are made from slowly dehydrated pureed fruit, for the maximum retention of nutrients, colour and flavour. We do our best to source only Australian produce where possible, and preferably organic or pesticide-free.
Is dehydrated fruit powder healthy?
Yes, dehydrated fruit powder is indeed healthy. The dehydration process aims to eliminate water while preserving the nutritional content of the fruit. This means that the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in the original fruit are retained in the powdered version. In fact, since powdered fruit is more concentrated, a small serving can provide a significant amount of these nutrients. However, it's important to note that while fruit powders are a convenient and versatile way to boost your nutrient intake, they shouldn't replace whole fruits in your diet. Whole fruits offer dietary fibre and more volatile nutrients that may be lost during the drying process. Therefore, use fruit powders as a supplement to a balanced diet rich in whole fruits.
How long does dehydrated fruit powder last?
Dehydrated fruit powder can last for a long time if stored correctly. Generally, it can stay fresh and retain its nutritional content for up to a year. It's crucial to store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, and to keep it sealed in an airtight container to prevent moisture absorption. Despite its long shelf life, it's always a good idea to check for changes in colour, smell, and texture as these may indicate that the fruit powder is no longer in optimal condition.
The Benefits of Using Fruit Powders
Fruit powders offer several benefits that make them an excellent addition to your nutritional regiment:
Convenience: You can easily incorporate into a variety of meals, drinks, and snacks. They're lightweight, easy to transport, and don't require refrigeration, making them the perfect solution to your busy schedule.
Long Shelf Life: As mentioned earlier, fruit powders can last for up to a year when stored correctly, so you can enjoy their nutritional benefits long after fresh fruits would have gone in the bin.
High in Nutrients: Fruit powders are concentrated sources of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This makes them a potent supplement for boosting your daily nutrient intake.
Low in Calories: Most fruit powders are low in calories, making them an excellent choice for those watching their calorie intake.
Versatility: Fruit powders can be used in a wide variety of recipes. They can add a nutritional punch and exciting flavours to smoothies, baked goods, sauces, salad dressings, and much more.
Remember, while fruit powders can supplement a healthy diet, they are not meant to replace whole fruits, which provide essential dietary fibre and other nutrients.
Different Types of Fruit Powders
Most fruit can be dehydrated to make into powder, yet some popular types are a particularly versatile addition to your pantry.
Here are some of the most popular types of fruit powders:
Banana Powder
Just like fresh bananas, banana powder is equally at home as a sweet slightly neutral base for other flavours or as the star of the show.
Try our Boost Nutrients organic banana powder
Berry Powder
This powder is packed with vitamin C, adding a tangy-sweet flavour and beautiful colour to your food. It goes really well with chocolate or cacao.
Our Boost Nutrients berry powder is made from only Australian berries
Mango Powder
Not to be confused with the Indian amchur which is a traditional souring agent, our mango powder has all the sweet goodness and flavour of ripe Australian mangoes.
Try our Boost Nutrients mango powder made with Australian mangoes
Goji Berry Powder
Highly nutritious, goji powder is a beautiful colour and a convenient versatile way to harness the nutritional power of goji berries.
Try our Boost Nutrients goji berry powder
Sometimes you come across a fruit powder that you wouldn't have thought of, and have never seen before. Like our must-try super fruity organic peach powder.
Remember, each type of fruit powder carries its own unique nutritional profile and therefore serves different dietary purposes. Experiment with a combination of different fruit powders to discover which ones best suit your taste and nutritional needs!
Ways to use dehydrated fruit powders
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Smoothies:
Add a spoonful of your favourite fruit powder to your smoothie for an extra burst of flavour and nutrients. Try mixing different powders to create your own easy-to-use blends.
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Baking:
Fruit powders work great in baked goods. They can be used to add flavour and colour to cookies, muffins, cakes, and bread.
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Yogurt and Cereal:
Sprinkle some on your morning yogurt or cereal for a fruity twist.
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Pancake and Waffle Batter:
Mix some fruit powder into your pancake or waffle batter to make breakfast more exciting.
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Salad Dressings:
Use fruit powders to make your own salad dressings. They can add a lovely sweetness and tang to your salads.
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Teas and Lemonades:
Stir a little fruit powder into your tea or lemonade for a unique taste.
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Homemade Ice Cream:
Use fruit powders to add flavour and colour to homemade ice cream, or even to liven up a store-bought vanilla!
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Energy Bars and Balls:
Incorporate fruit powders into homemade energy bars or balls for natural sweetness and added nutritional kick.
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Marinades and Rubs:
Certain fruit powders, like pineapple or mango, can be excellent in marinades or rubs for meat. They not only add a pleasing acidity but contain enzymes that tenderise the meat.
Remember, the possibilities are only limited by your imagination! Experiment with different powders and recipes to discover your favourite combinations and expand your kitchen repertoire.
Find out more about the power of superfood powders in our guide.
Explore our full range of fruit powders and store cupboard superfoods that you didn't know you couldn't live without.