How to enjoy old, rotten fruit

Jam, made by boiling down fruits and sugar, is an inseparable soul partner of bread.

It is also a way to store fruits that have a short shelf life and easily become soft or lose their flavor for a long time without spoiling.

Jam can be made easily at home. Learn about the ingredients, benefits, and manufacturing methods for making jam.

 

▶Blueberry Jam=

 

Fresh blueberries quickly soften over time, making them great for making jam. Blueberries were selected as one of the "World's 10 Superfoods" by Time magazine. Blueberries are particularly rich in powerful antioxidants, including anthocyanins, polyphenols, and beta-carotene. Blueberries' antioxidants help prevent various diseases and aging by eliminating free radicals, and are also effective in preventing vision loss, improving memory, and preventing obesity. In particular, the anthocyanins in blueberries are known to have antioxidant properties that are 2.5 times stronger than vitamin C and about 6 times stronger than tocopherol.

▶Tangerine Jam=

 

Unlike other fruits, tangerines are made into jam using their peel. This is because the peel is much richer in nutrients than the flesh. Tangerines are rich in vitamin C and hesperidin. Hesperidin inhibits lipid peroxide formation, promotes healthy blood vessels, and lowers blood cholesterol levels. Tangerine peel contains 40 times more hesperidin than the flesh. It also contains about four times more vitamin C than the flesh. In addition, vitamin P, contained in the transparent peel, enhances the function of vitamin C in creating collagen, strengthening capillaries. Tangerine peel can be dried for about a week, crushed, and made into jam.

 

▶Fig Jam=

 

Figs also have fragile skins and easily break, making them difficult to store for long periods. Furthermore, unripe or poor-quality figs lack sugar content, resulting in poor flavor. Making jam with sugar allows you to enjoy delicious fig jam for a long time. Figs are rich in magnesium, which promotes sodium excretion in the body, making them beneficial for those with a salty appetite. They are also rich in beta-carotene, which is effective in the production of sex hormones. Figs also contain a high amount of calcium and potassium, which help prevent circulatory diseases, osteoporosis, and body acidification. Furthermore, figs' antioxidant properties eliminate free radicals, effectively preventing cancer and arteriosclerosis.

 

 

How to make jam

 

Making fruit jam is simpler than you think.

 

Prepare fruit and sugar in a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio.

 

At this time, you can adjust the ratio of sugar and ingredients to suit your taste.

 

If there is not enough sugar, the sweetness level will be low, which will shorten the storage life and the texture of the jam may not be properly displayed.

 

Wash the fruit thoroughly, then add the ingredients and sugar and slowly boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

 

Once the ingredients begin to boil, reduce the heat to low and continue stirring.

 

At this time, it is good to add 4-5 drops of lemon juice prepared in advance.

 

The pectin component of lemon juice helps coagulate and increases viscosity.

 

Lemon juice acts as a preservative, extending the shelf life.

 

Stir for about 20 to 30 minutes until the jam reaches the right viscosity.

 

The viscosity should be just right so that the jam doesn't spread when dropped into cold water.

 

The jam made this way is stored in sealed glass jars that have been sterilized in boiling water.

 

If not properly sealed, jam can easily spoil by absorbing moisture from the air.

 

Meanwhile, many people think that jam contains a lot of sugar and is therefore high in calories.

 

However, the calories of fruit jam are mostly around 300kcal per 100g.

 

It's lower than peanut butter or chocolate jam.

 

If you are concerned about sugar, you can use unrefined sugars such as oligosaccharides instead of sugar.