Gelatin desserts, dry mix, prepared with water
Whole food · Sweets
Photo: Wikipedia
A wobbly, translucent dessert made from dissolving a flavored powder into hot water and chilling until set. It offers a clean, sweet, and often fruity taste with a signature smooth, jiggly texture that melts on the tongue. Nutritionally, it's a light, low-calorie treat composed almost entirely of simple carbohydrates.
💚 Why it's loved
People adore it for its nostalgic, playful wobble and the burst of artificial fruit flavor that defines childhood treats. It's a versatile blank canvas, easily molded into fun shapes or layered into elaborate, colorful desserts for celebrations.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
Its primary downside is being high in added sugars (13.49g per 100g) with virtually no protein, fiber, or fat to slow absorption, making it a potential source of blood-sugar spikes. To counteract this, enjoy a small portion as a treat rather than a staple, and pair it with a source of protein (like nuts or yogurt) or healthy fat to create a more balanced snack.
Key benefits
- Very low in calories (60 kcal per 100g)
- Fat-free and cholesterol-free
- Provides a quick source of energy from carbohydrates
- Often fortified with Vitamin C
- Highly hydrating due to its high water content
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The most popular flavor of Jell-O in the United States is not strawberry or cherry, but lime, which has been a top seller since 1926.
Full nutrition (scales with serving)
| Water | 84.4 g |
| Energy | 60.0 kcal |
| Energy | 250 kj |
| Protein | 1.2 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.00 g |
| Ash | 0.20 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 14.2 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0.00 g |
| Total Sugars | 13.5 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 3.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.02 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 1.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 22.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 1.0 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 75.0 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.01 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.02 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.00 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 1.1 ug |
| Fluoride, F | 69.1 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.00 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.00 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.01 mg |
| Niacin | 0.00 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.00 mg |
| Folate, total | 1.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 1.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 1.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 0.50 mg |
| Betaine | 0.50 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 0.00 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 0.00 iu |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 0.00 iu |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 0.00 ug |
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.00 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
| Tryptophan | 0.00 g |
| Threonine | 0.02 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.02 g |
| Leucine | 0.04 g |
| Lysine | 0.06 g |
| Methionine | 0.01 g |
| Cystine | 0.00 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.03 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.01 g |
| Valine | 0.03 g |
| Arginine | 0.11 g |
| Histidine | 0.01 g |
| Alanine | 0.13 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.08 g |
| Glutamic acid | 0.14 g |
| Glycine | 0.30 g |
| Proline | 0.20 g |
| Serine | 0.04 g |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
FAQ
Is gelatin dessert a good source of protein?
No. While it contains a small amount of protein from the gelatin itself (1.22g per 100g), it is nutritionally insignificant and not a meaningful protein source.
Can I use gelatin dessert mix to make homemade gummy candy?
Yes, it's a common base. You typically use a higher ratio of gelatin mix to water to achieve a firmer, chewier texture suitable for gummies.
Why does my gelatin dessert sometimes not set properly?
Common reasons include not dissolving the powder completely in hot water, using cold water to dissolve it, or not chilling it long enough (usually 4+ hours). Also, the enzyme bromelain in fresh pineapple can prevent setting.