When it comes to Jell-O, we're all familiar with it, and it's very relaxing to have a few once in a while. However, I believe that many people have had such doubts: Jelly is nutritious? It can lose weight? Is it safe to add thickeners to jelly? Jelly in the end is not junk food? Eat Jell-O eat Jell-O need to pay attention to what?

Is Jello nutritious?

Jelly is water, sugar, etc. as the main raw material, supplemented by thickeners and other food additives, with or without the addition of fruit and vegetable products, milk and dairy products and other raw materials, by the melting, blending, filling, sterilization, cooling and other processes processed from the jelly food.

For ordinary jelly, mainly contains sugar and dietary fiber, and few other nutrients. Jelly carrageenan will also hinder the absorption of calcium, zinc and other nutrients. Therefore, the nutritional value of jelly is on the low side.

Can I lose weight by eating Jell-O?

Some people believe that eating jelly has a sense of satiety and can lead to weight loss.

It is true that jelly is added with thickening agents such as carrageenan, which is a collective name for polysaccharides extracted from natural plants such as marine red algae (including Hordeum vulgare, Kirinophyta, Firmea, and Sarcocococca, etc.), which are not digested or absorbed and fill the stomach to give a feeling of fullness.

In this respect, eating Jell-O does reduce one's appetite to a certain extent, helping to control food intake. Of course, jellies do have calories, and it's best to choose low-sugar jellies.

Is it safe to add thickeners to Jell-O?

Many people are confused about the safety of thickeners. In fact, thickeners in jelly are safe food additives.

The commonly used thickeners in jelly are carrageenan, konjac flour, etc. They are natural polysaccharides. The use of thickeners can improve the consistency of the food or form a gel, giving the jelly its characteristic taste.

If the jelly in the production, can be in accordance with the relevant standards for the rational use of thickening agents, not only safe, but also may have to improve the intestinal microecology, laxative effect. Therefore, there is no need to worry about the safety of thickeners for quality-assured jellies.

Is Jell-O junk food or not?

For the common jelly, from the ingredients, in addition to water, refined sugar, konjac powder (some have fruit pulp, fruit juice, etc.), there are thickeners, edible flavors, colors and other food additives, although not to talk about how harmful to the body, but the overall nutritional value of the low, can not be considered a healthy snack. Of course, jelly as a leisure food, occasionally eat a few, generally not a big problem.

Do I need to pay attention to anything when I eat Jell-O?

1. Children and the elderly should be cautious of eating Jell-O

Because the self-protection mechanism of young children's bodies is still underdeveloped, and the elderly's body functions have declined, there is a potential risk of children under the age of three years old or the elderly getting into the trachea or bronchial tubes when sucking on Jell-O.

It is recommended that children under the age of three should not eat jelly. School-age children and the elderly need to be supervised when eating Jell-O, and can take it with a small spoon, chewing and swallowing slowly.

2. Don't swallow jelly

Because jelly is usually small in size, some people like to use the method of sucking when eating jelly, which is more solid and difficult to dissolve in the mouth, and it's not easy to destroy the integrity of the sucking, which can easily lead to tracheal obstruction. Therefore, do not swallow the jelly in one bite.

3. Eating jelly can not replace the fruit

Ordinary jelly mainly contains sugar and dietary fiber, other nutrients are very little. Fruit can provide us with vitamin C, potassium, magnesium and dietary fiber and other nutrients, which organic acids (such as malic acid, citric acid, etc.), but also can enhance the human appetite, help food digestion, and can make the food to maintain a certain degree of acidity, so as to protect the stability of vitamin C. In addition, the aromatic substances in fruits have a certain flavor, the same role of stimulating the human appetite and help food digestion.

Even jellies with a small amount of fruit or juice are still not nutritionally comparable to fresh fruit.

4. Don't eat too much jelly

Because jelly can give people a sense of satiety, if you eat too much at once, it may affect the normal diet, so eat jelly in moderation.

(Image from the Internet)

Author: Liu Pingping, UWM nutritionist & science writer.