If you're trying to avoid added sugar, switch that jelly on your toast

It’s hard to beat the power of a great jelly on toast.

Couple it with a warm cup of tea and you are deep into comfort food territory. But registered dietitians want people to know that jelly might not be as healthy as you think, even if at first glance it seems like it’s a part of the fruit family.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns Americans that they are consuming too much sugar, and should watch out for added sugars. That means sugars that aren’t naturally in milk, vegetables or fruits, including jelly. This is part of the aim to reduce weight gain and obesity and diseases like Type 2 diabetes.

What’s in jelly?

Jelly is made from fruit, pectin, sugar and sometimes gelatin. Jellies are not all the same when it comes to ingredients and, therefore, nutrition. Ashley Koff, RD and national bestselling author of "Your Best Shot," considers it a processed fruit product, and puts it in the same category as "other sauces, sweeteners and liquid added sugar-containing beverages or even dessert like pudding or candy." Some might not realize that jelly and jam are different, because jam is made from crushed fruit, which she says can help retain some of the helpful fiber content.

How should people consume jelly more healthily?

There are a few tricks to help minimize the impact of added sugar in jelly, for those fans who don’t want to give it up. 

"Pairing jelly with another food will not change the nutritional makeup of the jelly or make the jelly healthier. That being said, eating peanut butter or whole-grain bread with the jelly will make a more balanced meal or snack because of the protein in the peanut butter and the fiber in the bread," says Trudi Maisano, clinical and outpatient dietitian at Inspira Health. "For those with high blood sugar, pairing these three things together can help slow the absorption of the sugar and lessen the spikes in blood sugar from the added sugar."

Not all jellies are equal, so consider making your own to avoid unnecessary ingredients and to control sugar content better.

Jelly alternatives include lower sugar options such as Smash jams or Good Good jams, which don’t have any added sugar, or making your own jelly by mixing chia seeds and blueberries, and microwaving for a short time. 

Jelly fans keeping an eye on sugar, take heart. Maisano adds, "The total amount of sugar consumed in a day is more important than the amount of sugar in one food. If you enjoy and want to continue to eat jelly, you can look for other ways to decrease the amount of sugar in your diet."