The Practice of Sun Drying and Sustainability

The age-old practice of sun-drying is a wonderful option that supports natural ways of living and sustainability while being the most effective method for its various applications.  Sun-drying fruits and flowers in bamboo and cane baskets have been a common sight in Indian homes and easy to follow even in today’s fast paced and convenient driven lifestyle.

A few popular application to consider sun-drying:

1. Preservation: Sun-drying is excellent for preserving produce like haldi (turmeric), grapes, and other fruits. By removing moisture, it inhibits bacterial growth and extends shelf life. It prevents spoilage and retains nutritional integrity, offering wholesome additions to various dishes. 
2. Cleaning: Sun-drying naturally cleans produce by removing mold and insects. The sun's UV rays act as a disinfectant, leaving behind clean and safe-to-consume fruits and vegetables.
3. Drying: In today’s world with pesticides, fertilizers and rampant infections, washing produce before putting it in the fridge or storage is becoming a common practice. However, a good dry after the wash is necessary to avoid rotting. A quick 15-30 min sun drying is a fast and effective practice instead of keeping it out all night or under the fan to dry.

Here is a short list of products where sun-drying is effective : 

1. Most fruits: Like sun-dried grapes become raisins, a delicious snack enjoyed year-round.
2. Flowers:  For decor, for making flower teas, rose petals, and marigold petals are commonly sun-dried for homemade remedies and beauty products.
3. Herbs: Like curry leaves, rose mary, mint, ginger, lemon grass, chili, gooseberries etc for increasing shelf life.
4. Grains and pulses
5. Dryfruits and nuts to keep them from mold.

Sun-drying captures the essence of the season, preserving flavors, aromas, and nutrients naturally. Bamboo and cane baskets, with their strength and flexibility, are ideal for this purpose.

While plastic and metal are other alternatives, here are two primary reasons to why we recommend using a bamboo or cane basket : 

1. The natural material ensures that it does not interact with the product or release chemicals in the heat unlike in plastic containers 
2. Bamboo and Cane baskets do not heat up like metal plates or containers in the sun which adds extra heat to the products replicating cooking and changing the flavors.  

Bamboo and Cane baskets are also sustainable choices, aligning with eco-conscious living and preserving nature's bounty.

Simple practices in everyday life and in our daily routines are wholesome and healthy experiences improving the quality of life and the environment.

Hope this encourages you to adopt and indulge in the goodness of sun-drying if you don't already. If you have been practicing, do share your experience and how sun-drying turned out for you.

Love & luck,

Sun chasers @Daisylife