This Is the Difference Between Jam and Jelly

Whether you spread them on toast for breakfast or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch, “jam” and “jelly” can seem like interchangeable words for the same delicious fruit spread. If both were put on a spoon and taste-tested by 100 different people, the identifying results would probably turn out to be a jumbled, coagulated mess. So if it isn’t the consistency, colour, or sweet flavour that makes a jam stand apart from a jelly, what is it? And where do preserves and marmalade fall in the great jam vs. jelly debate?

The difference between jam and jelly (and all the other fruit spreads) is entirely in the manufacturing process. While they all have similarities in ingredients and outcome, the ratios and cooking processes are different. Once you learn the difference, you can impress your friends with this food facts trivia.

What is jelly?

Jelly is made by crushing fruit, straining out the larger chunks, boiling the liquid, and then adding sugar and pectin, a natural thickening agent, to the mix. The resulting viscous liquid is jelly.

It’s the only cooked fruit spread to have pectin added, so it’s the firmest of all and definitely more of a solid than the other options. And because of its smooth consistency, it’s easiest to spread evenly on your bread.

What is jam?

Jam is made in a process almost identical to jelly. The big difference between jam and jelly is that the larger chunks of fruit aren’t strained out when making jam, giving it a thicker texture.

If you aren’t a fan of chunks, you may be Team Jelly when it comes to jam vs. jelly. That said, some jam recipes use pureed fruit to get the extra flavour and thickness without the lumps. If you don’t mind the chunks or prefer a little more texture in your bite, jam is a great choice.

Just because jam has more fruit in it doesn’t mean it’s healthier than jelly, however. Both can have high sugar content. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a tablespoon of jelly has 10.8 grams of sugar, while the same amount of jam has 9.7 grams. Ingredient quality differs from brand to brand, so if you’re looking to be more health-conscious, skip the ones with high-fructose corn syrup.

Meanwhile all this time i thought the two were the same thing. But atleast now we all know that they two are two entirely different things