The object of our attention will be fruit jelly. Yes, yes, it is fruity, because jelly is different. And very often – not even sweet. Aspic, for example, or jellied fish. But now we will see what sweet fruit jelly gives our body.

Jelly making technology
The secret to making fruit jelly is quite simple: natural fruit juice is heated, mixed with any substance that has gelling properties, and then cooled. The gelling agent solidifies upon cooling, without becoming solid, but turning into a gelatinous mass. The mass, taste, color and smell of which depends on the filler.

It is clear that immediately with the appearance of concentrates, various sweet waters, dyes and flavors for many housewives and manufacturers, it turned out to be more profitable to prepare synthetic jelly. Nevertheless, it is obvious that it is the natural product that is much richer in its benefits.

The composition of jelly and its beneficial properties
It is enough to look at the two main components of the composition of jelly, so that its beneficial properties become quite obvious to us.

1. Fruit juice.

A rich source of vitamins, biologically active substances and minerals. It is clear that after the preparation of fruit jelly, including boiling, some of the complex organic substances decompose. But a part remains.

Minerals in the juice can withstand any temperature. And some contained in the original fruits in the form of salts, after heat treatment, are even faster and easier to use by the body. The main benefit of jelly is that calcium, potassium and iron, contained in almost all berries and fruits, always enter our body with it. And although we do not get them in such volumes, as from fresh products, the stomach is not irritated by various acids either.

Also, some biologically active substances – anthocyanins, antioxidants, tannins – together with the juice are included in the composition of the jelly. And then – they begin to actively influence various organs and systems.

But the vitamin and mineral composition of fruit juice itself depends solely on the original product. There are substances common to almost all fruits and berries. Ascorbic acid, for example, or carotene and calcium. But they all have their own quirks.

2. Actually gelling agent.

It can be like pectin or agar-agar, and gelatin. And these components, by the way, are very different from each other in terms of their effect on the body. For example, agar-agar is difficult to digest and promotes bowel movements. In addition, it contains almost no calories. It looks like pectin, which is slightly more rough and has the ability to massage and cleanse the intestines from various wastes.

Gelatin, on the other hand, differs from the two previous components in its “animal” nature – it is made from tendons and cartilage of cattle. Accordingly, it is quite high in calories and is well absorbed in the intestines.

However, one should not assume that gelatin is used only for jelly, and pectin and agar-agar are used for confectionery. All these substances do not have their own taste and smell, and therefore are completely interchangeable.

3. Sugar.

Fruit jelly without it will turn out not very sweet and sour. But this is a dessert. Due to sugar, fruit jelly turns out to be very high-calorie and nutritious, allowing you to recharge your batteries and better solve mental problems. And due to it, the hormone of happiness, serotonin, is released into our bloodstream, greatly raising our mood. Therefore, the benefits of jelly are quite obvious if consumed in moderation.

Harm to jelly
Somehow, in its properties, jelly resembles marmalade. Unless, instead of fruit, it contains juice, and many times less sugar is put in. Natural, slightly sweetened fruit jelly is healthy, tasty and nutritious. Until it comes to excess taste and economy. How to reduce the harm of jelly?

Attempts to make fruit jelly cloyingly sweet affect its harmfulness in diabetes – the more sugar it contains, the worse it will affect the condition of the corresponding patient. Yes, and with excess weight and diseases of the teeth, a lot of sugar will not respond well.

Even worse, when in the process of making sweet jelly, the cook tries to replace the juice with concentrates with a strong smell and taste. Such substances containing various dyes and flavors will bring only synthetic components into the body. And how this harm of jelly in the form of synthetic additives will affect different organs depends only on their nature. Some of the food additives are even capable of causing cancer.

Therefore, if you are already preparing fruit jelly, then you should not skimp. Better less often, but more useful to enjoy the natural taste of real fruit juice, not over-sweetened and not mixed with additives “for color”. Then the body will thank you, and the real taste of fruit jelly will open in the form that this delicacy had back in ancient times.