What is the Difference Between Jam and Jelly?

Have you also been asking, what is the difference between jam and jelly? Well, you are not alone because others are baffled by this question too. Maybe, the best way to deal with this is to answer first if there really is a difference between the two.

Yes, there is a big distinction between jam and jelly. This is a result of the dissimilar ways on how these two are created. Although they may both involve the same primary ingredient, like strawberry jam and strawberry jelly, the ingredients are slightly different too.

Processing

While both are made using fruit as the primary ingredient, achieving the right consistency involves different steps. Jam has a rougher texture because this is made of crushed fruit. It means that even the meat of the fruit is included. For fruits with smaller seeds like berries, there is no need to remove them when making a jam. Since the meat of the fruit and even the skin are not removed when making a jam, there is no need to add pectin just to achieve the right consistency.

On the other hand, jelly has a uniform consistency because it is made solely by using the extracts of the fruit. To make the juice thicker and increase its viscosity, the juice has to be boiled. Then, pectin and sugar should be added to it.

photo credit: flickr.com/ben.ramirez

When it comes to texture and use, what is the difference between jam and jelly? Knowing which one is a jam and which one is a jelly can be done by merely looking into its consistency. Jelly is much smoother and will be even when it is spread. Jam tends to be uneven when it is spread because of the chunks of fruit.

Nutrition

Another important aspect to consider when choosing between the two is the amount of nutrition which can be obtained from them. Which one is more beneficial for you health?

It has to be noted that creating this two involve heating and cooking of the fruit. This removes the components which would cause the fruit ingredients to spoil over time. Aside from that, cooking is also necessary to achieve the right texture and viscosity.

Because of the heat, some of the vitamins and minerals may be destroyed. Hence, you should not expect it to have the same level of nutrition as raw fruits. If you need to choose between jam and jelly, the former may be a better option.

In making jam, the entire fruit is boiled, usually with the seeds if these are edible. Hence, all the nutrients are thrown into the process. Fruits also have whopping amount of nutrients on the skin and meat. Hence, loss of too many vitamins and minerals is avoided when making jam.

Jelly is nutritious too but the fact that it only uses fruit extracts limits the amount of vitamins and minerals that it can provide. Plus, this contains more add-on ingredients because the extracts tend to be watery and the thick consistency needs to be obtained before it is preserved in a bottle.