If you like jams, but you are careful about your sugar consumption, know that there are alternatives. Sugar provides texture and taste, of course, but thanks to chemistry, we can get around that. How to make homemade jam without sugar? I suggest you discover all the options and approved tips. Bonus, a recipe for homemade seasonal fruit jam without sugar.

Rediscover the flavors of summer with a good homemade jam

The only downside to these alternative methods is that sugar acts as a preservative in jams. Without it, you must sterilize your jars or consume them quickly. Here is now what you can use to replace sugar in your preparations.

The amount of sugar in a classic jar of jam is really high

#Honey

Honey is the best-known ingredient to replace refined sugar. You should use 2/3 of the honey compared to the sugar in your traditional recipe. Well, the cost would be a little higher, but if you’re making small amounts of jam, that shouldn’t be a problem. Otherwise, agave syrup or maple syrup can play the substitute.

Honey has a good balance between glucose and fructose

#Natural sugars with fewer calories

Instead of traditional white sugar, you can use cane sugar or coconut blossom sugar. This provides vitamins and minerals. Additionally, it has the lowest glycemic index.

Coconut sugar contains antioxidants

#Reduce fruit juice

Here is a simple solution which consists in reducing a preferably organic fruit juice. It has to be halfway to get a syrup. Then just substitute with the sugar in your jam recipe. It’s quite simple and worth a try.

One of the roles of sugar is to thicken the consistency of your jam. Here’s how you overcome this constraint.

#Lemon or apple

The acidity of the lemon will allow you to thicken your jam without sugar. As a general rule, half a lemon is enough for 1 kg of fruit. On the other hand, you have to be careful, because some fruits like raspberries are naturally more acidic. So, in this case, you will need less lemon. On the other hand, a few pieces of apple can add pectin to your preparation.

Lemon has a gelling effect

#chia seeds

Chia seeds will help solidify your sugar-free jam. It is a solution that is not only nutritious, but also natural. In contact with the liquid, they swell to create a thicker texture for your preparations. The dose is 4 tablespoons for 500 gr of fruit.

Chia seeds have multiple health benefits

#Agar-Agar

It is a plant extract which has a gelling effect on all preparations. FYI, it must be put at the end, once you have cooked the fruit. The recommended dose is one teaspoon for one kilo of fruit. Be aware that the more acidic your fruits are, the more agar-agar you will need.

Agar-agar is well known to help eliminate toxins

What jam to eat when you are diabetic?

You have to be careful that it is without added sugar or sweeteners, because these are two major enemies of diabetes. We will quickly explain to you the difference between a jam without sugar and one without added sugar. So a jam without added sugar is only composed of sugars naturally present in fruits. And otherwise, if you read “sugar-free”, it means that other sweeteners such as stevia are present.

You must read the labels carefully if you are diabetic.

Fig jam recipe without added sugar

The fig is the fruit of the season and so that everyone can enjoy a healthy fig jam, here is a recipe that only includes the sugar contained in the fruit.

Ingredients :

• Figs – 1 kg
• Xylitol – 100 g
• Pine nuts – 50 g
• Agar-agar – 2 g
• A vanilla pod

Preparation :

1. Cut the figs into 4 and leave to rest with the vanilla pod and Xylitol for at least 12 hours in the refrigerator.
2. In a special pot, simmer the figs for 60 minutes. Don’t forget to stir often and keep the heat on medium.
3. Then you have to pour the agar-agar and the pine nuts. Leave to come back for 3 minutes and set aside.
4. You can add water if necessary.

Nota Bene : This recipe is taken from a site for diabetics, you can find other variations that use honey instead of xylitol.

It is important to sterilize the jars beforehand and to sterilize them after filling them so that they can be stored for as long as possible. I strongly advise you to reduce your sugar consumption, there are plenty of tips and techniques to satisfy this need.

Overconsumption of sugar is the cause of many diseases