Jams are known and liked by many of us. The assortment of jams is unusually wide – we have single-fruit ones, multi-fruit ones, low or high in added sugar content. Choosing good quality jam is really difficult. Check how many calories jam have and other interesting things about it!
How Jam is prepared?
Jam is a product that is obtained in the process of cooking fresh, frozen or pasteurized fruit with the addition of sugar, gelling and preserving substances, but also natural aromas and dyes.
After obtaining the desired density, the fruit mass is pasteurized at 100 degrees Celsius and placed in the package (usually in jars with a twist-off lid) and recapped. The jam in jars is re-pasteurized in a pasteurization tunnel using a hot water spray, hot steam spray and bath in hot water.
Fruits used for making jams must be healthy, ripe, undamaged, cleaned and free of inedible parts.
Jam - is jam healthy?
The production of jams, like fruit juices, preserves and plum jam, is regulated by law. The official European regulation says that jam must be made from fruit and states which additional substances may be added to it.
Jams are unfortunately high-calorie products. Heavily sweetened jams are characterized by higher calorific value with similar content of vitamins and minerals to low-sugar jams. The difference between them is mainly due to the different sucrose and fruits content.
Jams are a source of mainly vitamin C and polyphenols. However, the content of these nutrients is lower than in fresh fruit. The richest in polyphenols among jams are low-sugar berry, plum and blackcurrant jams.
Jams in moderate amounts can be added even to diet which main goal is to reduce excessive weight, but should not be consumed too often. A better solution is fresh fruit or self-made fruit mousses.
Jam - types of jams
Jams are divided according to the amount of fruit used for their production into single-fruit, two-fruit and multi-fruit ones. They are also distinguied due to the amount of added sweetener, most often sugar, into high-sugar (not less than and 65%) low-sugar (from 25 to 50%).
How to use jam in the kitchen?
Jams can be consumed in the form of an addition to sandwiches, toast, porridge and yoghurt. They are also added to pastries, cakes, pastries, croissants and French rolls. They are also an great addition to pancakes, waffles, pancakes or pancakes.
How to choose a good jam?
When choosing jam, pay attention to its composition, the shorter the list of ingredients, the better the quality of the jam.
The best choice jams, 100 g of which were made from 100 g of fruit, the so-called 100% jams. You can also buy jams from organic ingredients, these jams are definitely a better choice, but their price is obviously higher.
Low-sugar jams are always better choice than high-sugar ones and those without uncessesary food preservatives will be definitely better.
