Preserving and concentrating your herbs/medicinal plants has never been easier than now thanks to the home freeze dryer.
Fast, Simple, Little Prep Required
There are many benefits to freeze drying herbs. For starters, there's very little preparation required before freeze drying plants, which makes it unique from other methods of preserving food. If you are working with organic plants, all you really need to do is rinse to remove any insects or residual soil. You don't want to over-wash the herbs because you may lose some of their oil.
Concentrated Taste, Same Nutrition as Raw
The flavour of freeze-dried herbs is more concentrated, and what sets freeze drying apart from other methods of plant preservation is that it doesn't use any heat. Heat lowers the nutritional values of the plant, so not applying heat means your herbs hold virtually the same nutrients, minerals and vitamins as they did when they were fresh. Plus, you have the reassurance that your herbs are completely free of additives and preservatives.
Apart from nutritional values, freeze drying does not affect the colour or shape of your plants. Amazingly, you would not be able to see or taste any difference between herbs that were freeze dried 7 years ago from those freeze dried 7 days ago!
Using Medicinal Plants to Heal
Herbalists and apothecaries have been using plants and herbs for their medicinal properties for centuries, so it goes without saying that herbs do more than add flavour and colour to your culinary creations. They hold powerful healing and restorative properties.
Herbs such as rosemary and thyme contain flavonoids which have antioxidant powers that are linked to health benefits, including a reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, asthma, and stroke.
The leaves of the ashwagandha plant contain anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and sedative properties. It is often prepared as a tea and the plant has been linked to relieving stress and strengthening the immune system.
Dandelion may seem like a nuisance on your front yard, but it's a rich source of beta carotene which our bodies convert into vitamin A. This plant also acts as a mild laxative that promotes digestion.
What Type of Freeze Dryer is Best for Plants?
Freeze drying plants uses the same technology as used for freeze drying regular food items. There is no problem using a standard food freeze dryer to process herbs and plants, but if you mostly do plant material then one of our pharmaceutical freeze dryers is strongly recommended. These units are specifically designed for drying large amounts of plant material. The have more shelves and hold a lot more material than the standard food freeze dryers.