Fruit Jams: Make Your Body Healthier

Knowledge is power. By knowing the truth about fruit jams you will be able to make positive, healthy decisions, and choices when it comes to your diet. The choices you make today for yourself and your family will define their eating habits for generations.

How can Jam make my body healthier? It’s loaded with sugar, and corn syrup and HFCS, and stuff I can’t even pronounce. All Jams are not created the same. Not all jams have the same amount of sugar, some don’t have corn syrup in them, nor do they all have HFCS.

Higher quality jam is not made with HFCS most use real Pure Cane Sugar. Many high-quality jams are GMO-free, gluten-free, loaded with fiber and may contain less sugar than conventional jams, jellies, and preserves.

Of course, there is the common sense approach that everything in moderation is the best way to go. Fresh fruit is always a healthy choice for you but trying to spread a whole apple across a piece of toast just isn’t the same as a nice teaspoon of fresh jam.

There are many health benefits provided by fruit jams.

1. Unlike butter, margarine, Nutella, and cheese, Jams do not contribute to the cholesterol and fat content of your body. Jam helps maintain a healthy weight when following recommended serving sizes.
2. Pectin is a substance contained in all fruits. During the heating process of making jams, this substance gets modified. The modified pectin can help reduce your chance of developing cancer, as well as: Improve the health of hair, skin, and fingernails, decrease bone loss, reduce constipation and diverticulitis and help the body form red blood cells. (caution to those suffering from diverticulitis, seeds in jams may irritate this condition, please consult your doctor before consuming jams containing seeds.)
3. Jams are rich in sugar and a great source of Energy and Fiber. They curb hunger, helping us to eat less and be satisfied without cravings (please note this is not the case when consuming Jam made with High Fructose Corn Syrup). By doing so they also reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
4. Since they are high in calories, the weight loss seekers and those diagnosed with diabetes should use jams sparingly. For more information about Diabetes and your Diet please read Eating Well With Diabetes.  It is important that we know the Truths and the Myths regarding Sugar and how it affects our bodies.
5. Jam made with chunks of healthy fruit can help reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack and all other potential cardiovascular diseases.
6. Jam has most of the health benefits of fruit, most notably, heart-healthy, cancer fighting antioxidant power. It can help reduce the risk of developing various cancers, particularly mouth, stomach, and colon-rectum cancer. In pregnant women, reduce risk of neural tube defects, spina bifida, and anencephaly during fetal development.
7. Jam is a concentrated source of nutrition when made with fully ripened fruits.

Preparation of mixed fruit preserves generally involves the use of added pectin as a gelling agent, although most fruits contain a degree of pectin, added pectin helps ensure a nice gel and healthy shelf life.

There are various types of mixed fruit jams made globally. Fruit jam can be made from sweet or savory ingredients. Properly, the term mixed fruit jam refers to a product made with a blend of whole fruit, cut into pieces or crushed. The different fruits used in mixed fruit jam usually vary. Fruits are heated with water and sugar to activate the pectin in the fruit. The mixture is then put into containers. It comes in myriad varieties.

The nutritional value of today’s Jams is not 100% lost as they were when our grandmothers stood over a stove cooking down fruit for hours and inadvertently cooking out all the wonderful nutrients.

By adding sugar and pectin (depending on the type of pectin) some jams only have to cook at boiling for as little as ten minutes instead of two and a half hours. This helps retain the natural nutritional value of the fruit while ensuring shelf stability. This is why choosing a jam that utilizes fresh fruits, healthy ingredients and proper production is an important health decision.

Knowing that choosing the right fruit jam as a main staple in your life, and indulging in a health-conscious lifestyle will not only give you great peace of mind, but also a healthy happy future to embrace.