Jello, a gelatin-based dessert, has been a popular treat, particularly among dieters seeking a low-calorie option. This article delves into the nutritional composition of jello, its potential role in weight loss, and the broader health implications associated with its consumption.
What is Jello?
Jello has been on American menus since 1897. Most people associate this jiggly and sweet substance with school lunches and hospital trays, but it’s also popular among dieters as a low-calorie treat. The brand name “Jell-O” is owned by Kraft foods and refers to a product line including jellos, puddings, and other desserts. Jello can be purchased as a powdered mix that you make at home or as a pre-made dessert often sold in individual cup-sized servings. When you make jello at home, you dissolve the powdered mixture in boiling water. Heating breaks the bonds that hold the collagen together. When the mixture cools, the collagen strands reform into a semi-solid state with water molecules trapped inside. This is what gives jello its characteristic jiggly, gel-like texture.
The Primary Ingredient: Gelatin
The primary ingredient in jello is gelatin. Gelatin is a protein derived from collagen, a material found in the bones, cartilage, and skin of animals that's essential for healthy joints. More specifically, gelatin is made from animal collagen - a protein that makes up connective tissues, such as skin, tendons, ligaments, and bones. The hides and bones of certain animals - often cows and pigs - are boiled, dried, treated with a strong acid or base, and finally filtered until the collagen is extracted. The collagen is then dried, ground into a powder, and sifted to make gelatin. While it’s often rumored that jello is made from horse or cow hooves, this is incorrect. The hooves of these animals are primarily made up of keratin - a protein that can’t be made into gelatin.
Nutritional Composition of Jello
While low in calories and fat, jello also contains sugar or artificial sweeteners and has little nutritional value. Jello has long been a staple of many diet plans, as it’s low in calories and fat-free. However, this doesn’t necessarily make it healthy. One serving (21 grams of dry mix) has 80 calories, 1.6 grams of protein, and 18 grams of sugars - which is approximately 4.5 teaspoons (2). Jello is high in sugar and low in fiber and protein, making it an unhealthy food choice. One serving (6.4 grams of dry mix) of sugar-free jello made with aspartame has only 13 calories, 1 gram of protein and no sugar. Still, artificial sweeteners may have negative effects on your health (2, 3). Furthermore, while jello is low in calories, it’s also low in nutrients, providing virtually no vitamins, minerals, or fiber (2).
Packaged jello mixes also contain sweeteners, flavoring agents, and colorings. Sweeteners used in jello are typically aspartame, an artificial calorie-free sweetener, or sugar. Artificial flavors are often used in jello. These are chemical mixtures that imitate a natural flavor. Often, many chemicals are added until the desired flavor profile is achieved (1). Food colorings in jello can be either natural or artificial. Due to consumer demand, some products are now being made with natural colorings, such as beet and carrot juice. However, many jellos are still made with artificial food dyes. For example, Strawberry Jell-O contains sugar, gelatin, adipic acid, artificial flavor, disodium phosphate, sodium citrate, fumaric acid, and red dye #40. Sugar-free Black Cherry Jell-O contains the same ingredients, except it uses aspartame instead of sugar as the sweetener and contains maltodextrin from corn and blue dye #1. Since there are many manufacturers of jello and many products available, the only way to know for sure what’s in your jello is to read the ingredients on the label.
Read also: Low-Carb Jello Dessert
Gelatin and its Potential Health Benefits
Gelatin contains proteins and antioxidants, which help protect the cells in the body, that can support the health of the digestive system, bones, skin, joints, and more. It also provides essential amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, which can provide potent health benefits. It’s also an excellent source of:
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Folate
- Choline
- Sodium
- Selenium
A tbsp. (7 grams) serving of gelatin contains:
- Calories: 10
- Protein: 6 grams
- Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 2 grams
- Fiber: 0 grams
- Sugar: 2 grams
Potential health benefits of gelatin include:
- Hydrated Skin: The protein and amino acids in gelatin can help the body build more collagen, a vital element in healthy skin. As people age, their natural collagen levels drop. This can lead to skin losing elasticity and the development of wrinkles. One study found that consuming collagen improved the skin’s hydration and reduced wrinkles. In a randomized 12-week study, women aged 40-60 who took 1,000 mg of a liquid collagen supplement showed improvements in skin hydration, elasticity, and wrinkling (6).
- Healthy Intestines: The proteins in gelatin can help support the intestinal wall, including building the protective mucus lining in your intestines. In early studies on rats, gelatin helped protect the lining of the intestines from damage, although further research is needed to fully confirm this effect in humans. Gelatin also contains glutamic acid, another amino acid that can help protect the intestinal wall from damage and prevent leaky gut.
- Lower Blood Sugar: The amino acid glycine that's found in gelatin may help manage blood sugar levels in those with Type 2 diabetes. In addition to a drop in blood sugar levels, study participants who took glycine as a treatment experienced reduced inflammation.
- Stronger Joints and Bone: In addition to improving the elasticity of the skin, gelatin can also strengthen connective tissues. Studies have shown that collagen supplements like gelatin can reduce joint pain. They have also found that it can strengthen joints by increasing the density of the cartilage. Gelatin also contains lysine, which helps strengthen the bones. It can also improve the body’s ability to absorb calcium, which can help prevent bone loss. Due to these effects, gelatin may be used as a supplement to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, or a thinning of the bones. While a study found an increase in bone density in rats taking doses of gelatin, further research on humans is needed to understand the link between gelatin and bone health. In a randomized study, postmenopausal women who took 5 grams of collagen peptides a day for one year had significantly increased bone density compared to women given a placebo (4). In a small 24-week study, college athletes who took 10 grams a day of a liquid collagen supplement experienced less joint pain compared to those taking a placebo (5).
Jello and Weight Loss
Jello has long been a staple of many diet plans, as it’s low in calories and fat-free. However, this doesn’t necessarily make it healthy. While gelatin supplements may have some beneficial effects on your health, it’s unlikely that jello will provide the same benefits. The high amount of sugar in regular jello is likely to counter any health effects that jello may provide for your skin and joints, as high-sugar diets have been shown to accelerate skin aging and increase inflammation in the body (7, 8).
Potential Negative Health Effects
Before eating jello, you may want to consider some of the possible negative health effects it may have.
Read also: Weight Loss Guide Andalusia, AL
- Artificial Colors: Most jello contains artificial colors. These are made with ingredients derived from petroleum, a natural chemical used to make gasoline that may have harmful effects on your health. The food dyes red #40, yellow #5 and yellow #6 contain benzidine, a known carcinogen - in other words, these dyes may promote cancer. However, they’re permitted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in low doses presumed to be safe (9). Studies link artificial colors to behavioral changes in children with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (10). While in some studies, doses higher than 50 mg were associated with behavioral changes, other studies suggest that as little as 20 mg of artificial food colors may have a negative effect (10). In fact, in Europe, foods that contain artificial dyes must display warning labels informing that the foods may cause hyperactivity in children (9). The amount of food dye used in jello is unknown and likely varies between brands.
- Artificial Sweeteners: Sugar-free packaged jello is made with artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame and sucralose. Animal and human studies show that aspartame may damage cells and cause inflammation (3). What’s more, animal studies link aspartame to a higher risk of certain cancers - such as lymphoma and kidney cancer - at daily doses as low as 9 mg per pound (20 mg per kg) of body weight (11). This is much lower than the current Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of 22.7 mg per pound (50 mg per kg) of body weight (11). However, human studies exploring the relationship between cancer and aspartame are lacking. Artificial sweeteners have also been shown to cause disturbances in the gut microbiome. In a 12-week study in mice, those receiving 0.5-5 mg per pound (1.1-11 mg per kg) of sucralose of the brand Splenda daily had significantly decreased levels of beneficial gut bacteria. The ADI of sucralose is 2.3 mg per pound (5 mg per kg) (12). Furthermore, while many people eat calorie-free sweeteners as a way to manage their weight, the evidence does not show this to be effective. On the contrary, a regular intake of artificial sweeteners has been linked to increased body weight (13).
- Allergies: While allergies to gelatin are rare, they are possible (14). Initial exposure to gelatin in vaccines may cause sensitivity to the proteins. In one study, 24 of 26 children with an allergy to gelatin-containing vaccines had gelatin antibodies in their blood and 7 had documented reactions to gelatin-containing foods (15). Allergic reactions to gelatin can include hives or life-threatening anaphylactic reactions. If you suspect you may have an allergy to gelatin, you can get tested by an allergist or an immunologist.
Jello: Vegetarian Concerns
Jello is usually made from gelatin - derived from the bones and skin of animals. That means it isn’t vegetarian or vegan. However, vegetarian jello desserts made from plant-based gums or seaweeds like agar or carrageenan are available. You can also make your own vegetarian jello at home using one of these plant-based gelling agents.
Gelatin as a Supplement
If consuming gelatin as a supplement, the National Institutes of Health suggests that taking up to 10 grams a day for up to six months is safe. Gelatin can also be found in other foods, including soups, broths, candies, and desserts. Some of these can contain high levels of sugar or fat, so they should be eaten in moderation. Those taking gelatin for Type 2 diabetes should avoid sugar-heavy foods.
Gelatin is already present in many food items, but it can also be added to foods at home through gelatin supplements or powders. Gelatin powder can be added to soups, smoothies, drinks, or other meals. To use gelatin powder to thicken the consistency of sauces, mousses, and gelatin desserts, the powder should first be placed in cold water and stirred until it thickens and becomes lumpy. Then, it can be heated until nearly boiling. For soups, you can make your own gelatin-rich broth at home with parts of meats like chicken or beef.
Read also: Beef jerky: A high-protein option for shedding pounds?