This content was last updated on: October 1, 2020

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Jam, spread, jelly… what is it?

Basically, these are all methods or processes used for centuries to preserve fruits by reducing them, during cooking, with sugar. This process then increases the sugar level of the mixture, which allows the fruit to be preserved for much longer since sugar is a natural preservative.

Sugar is a natural preservative, it allows you to enjoy delicious seasonal fruits, such as wild blueberries from Lac-Saint-Jean, all year round. The higher the sugar level, the better its preservation.

Although there are three ways to preserve our delicious berries, what is the difference between jam, spread and jelly?

What is jam?

To obtain a jam, fruits must be cooked with an amount almost equivalent to their weight in sugar. During cooking, the water contained in the fruits gradually evaporates, which contributes to increasing their sugar content and making the mixture more consistent.

The term "jam" is regulated in Canada and also in Europe. It is not enough to simply cook fruits and put them in jars to name them "jam". In fact, according to the Food and Drugs Act and the Food and Drug Regulations , to be called "jam", it must meet three important criteria:

1. It must contain at least 66% sugars (from the fruit from which it is made or from added sugar).
2. It must contain a minimum of 45% of the fruit(s) bearing the name of the jam.
3. It must not contain apple or rhubarb and must be produced from fruit, fruit pulp or canned fruit.

Products that do not meet these three conditions are then called “spreads”.

What is spread?

As mentioned before, a spread is simply jam that doesn't have enough sugar or contains anything other than permitted fruit to be called that. The term spread, unlike jam, is not regulated in Canada.

Why choose spread, rather than jam?

Often, what prevents it from being a jam is what makes it so attractive: its lower sugar content and therefore in calories too... But beware, the spread still contains sugar and is therefore not recommended for people with severe diabetes or who need to monitor their blood sugar.

All the same, for people who are concerned about their sugar intake, but who love our jams, a spread without added sugar is an excellent option to consider since its caloric intake is lower compared to a jam.

Take, for example, our No Sugar Added Organic Wild Blueberry Spread . The latter is slightly sweetened with Maltitol (wheat or corn alcohol sugar – gluten-free). This sugar is not absorbed by the body, which reduces its calorie and sugar intake in our diet! In addition, it does not cause tooth decay.

In short, if you love wild blueberry jam , but you prefer to consume less sugar, the spread is in order.

What is Organic Wild Blueberry Jelly?

As surprising as it may seem, blueberry jelly is also a jam since it can meet all the criteria of the law. But in this case, what is the difference between jelly and jam?

Well, unlike jam, jelly is made only from the juice of the fruit and not from its pulp. It is the juice and not the fruit which is then mixed with the sugar. This is usually extracted after a first cooking and then cooked slowly with the sugar until a jelly is obtained.

If the preparation obtained is too liquid, we will then speak of syrup. The advantage with the jelly is that it removes all the pieces of the fruit as well as the pips.

Why choose jelly instead of jam or spread?

So, if you don't like the texture of wild blueberries in our jams or spreads, but you love its taste, organic wild blueberry jelly from Lac-Saint-Jean is an excellent alternative. People who have difficulty with the presence of stones can also favor jelly over jam.