Sugar-free Berry Jam: This Is How You Make It!

Berry jam is rich in fiber and antioxidants. There is a wide variety of recipes with different calorie contents and made with natural, unrefined, unprocessed, sweeteners. Today we will share a few!

Sugar-free berry jam is an ideal addition to a low-carbohydrate diet. In addition, with a little practice and the right fruit, you can achieve a 100% healthy product. There are several basic methods for making a sugar-free berry jam. These include:

Cook berries without adding a thickener.
Add pectin or another thickening gelatin agent to boiling berries.
Thickening boiling berries with chia seeds.

The cooking method for sugar-free berry jam

The easiest method of making sugar-free berry jam is by cooking. This cooking technique works great with blackberries and raspberries. Plus, cooking helps release the fruit’s natural pectin. As the water evaporates, the fruit takes on the classic texture of the berry jam.

Instructions

First place the selected fruits in a container and mash them lightly.
Then add an artificial or natural sweetener and cook over high heat for five minutes, until it boils.
Then turn the heat to medium-high, stirring constantly, and continue cooking for another 15 minutes. Try to eliminate the foam that forms during this process.
The jam is ready when the bubbles enlarge and the mixture has a creamy consistency.

The gelatin method

Many believe that this is the best method for making strawberry jam. This is partly due to the high water content and the low pectin content. You can also use tasteless gelatin powder or leaf gelatin (also called gelatin sheets).

Ingredients

1 glass of water
1 sachet with gelatin powder
2 cups strawberries, cut into large chunks
Sweetener of your choice, to taste
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Preparation

First pour the water into a bowl.
Then sprinkle the gelatin powder into the water and mix well. If using leaf gelatin, let it soak in lukewarm water for 10 minutes before moving on to the next step.
Heat the gelatin mixture in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to boil.

Then add the strawberries.
Then add your desired sweetener along with the teaspoon of lemon juice.
Turn the heat to high and cook for another three minutes.
Then reduce it again to a medium heat and cook for another 10 minutes.
Remove any foam from the surface during the process.
The berry jam is ready when it has a smooth, creamy texture and large bubbles are formed.

A method of thickening jam with chia seeds

Adding chia seeds as an ingredient in red fruit jam preparation can make it thicker. So it is the perfect ingredient to obtain the classic consistency of jam.

Redcurrant jam (strawberries, raspberries and blackberries)

Ingredients

2 cups berries
The juice of an orange
1 tablespoon orange peel
1 tablespoon chia seeds
Sweetener (optional, to taste)

Preparation

First, put the berries in a pan. If using strawberries, cut them into chunks. You don’t have to cut the smaller ones.
Then add the orange juice and bring to the boil.
After that, reduce the heat to medium-high and gradually begin to puree the fruit until it reaches the consistency of puree.
Boil for 10 minutes and add a splash of water. You should now have a dense, smooth and creamy texture.
Then turn the heat to low and add the chia seeds. The mixture will now become gelatinous and grainy, similar to sugar.

Finally add the sweetener.
Let it cool and store it in a glass jar.

Alternative sweeteners for berry jam

It is possible to find healthy alternatives to refined sugar, both natural and artificial. Many of these sugar substitutes have a high nutritional value and may be less harmful to our health. You can make berry jam without regular sugar by using one of the following sweeteners:

Agave syrup
Maple syrup
Honey
Unpasteurized, unprocessed honey (add it to the jam mixture only after it cools to preserve its properties)
coconut sugar
Molasses
apple compote
Stevia