Healthy Blackberry Jam (no added Pectin!)
There’s nothing quite like the taste of fruit jam. It goes great with bread, crepes and as a topping in desserts and yogurts as well. Sadly, most store bought jams have loads of added sugar in them. In addition, store bought jams also have additional thickeners, preservatives and other chemicals added in them which make them decidedly unhealthy.
Today, we will make a very easy Blackberry jam. Blackberries have a high pectin content which makes them a very jam friendly fruit. We will not use any pectin or gelatin and aim to use a minimum number of ingredients to keep the jam as healthy as possible. In addition, our Blackberry jam will also have a low amount of sugar!.
How healthy is Blackberry Jam
Store bought Blackberry jam is not very healthy at all unfortunately. The sweetness is derived from a large serving of cane sugar that is added into the jam. Lets look at the ingredient list for a popular brand of Blackberry jam
- Blackberries
- Sugar
- Brown cane sugar
- Lemon Juice
- Fruit Pectin
Blackberry Jam Nutrition Facts
[wpdatatable id=9]Looking at the nutrition info for store bought blackberry jam you can see that all the calories in it are derived from sugar and a majority of the sugar present in it is added sugar in the form of cane sugar and brown sugar.
Blackberry Jam Macro Nutrients
In terms of macro nutrients, the only one present in blackberry jam is Carbohydrates while there are no proteins or fats.
Blackberry Jam Micro Nutrients
Blackberries are a good source of anti-oxidants. However, the amount of anti-oxidants can usually not be quantified in food sources.
Blackberry Jam Calorie Density
Store bought Blackberry jam has a calorie density of 50 calories per tablespoon. This is not very high when compared to other condiments like Mayonnaise (90 calories/tablespoon) and Nutella (80 calories/tablespoon). However, this is much higher than condiments like Ketchup (20 calories/tablespoon) and Sriracha (12 calories/tablespoon)
Insanely Healthy Blackberry Jam Alternative
For making our insanely healthy blackberry jam alternative, our hero ingredient will of course be fresh blackberries. In addition, we will be using more healthy and natural ingredients to get that sweet and tart taste of jam.
- 2 cups blackberries (300 grams)
- 1-2 tbsp Maple Syrup (based on how sweet you like your jam)
- 1/3 cooked and mashed apple or unsweetened applesauce (90 grams)
- 1 tbsp oat flour
- 2 tbsp water
While you have to do a bit of prep for this healthy blackberry jam, I promise it will be worth it! For making the cooked apple, I would recommend any tart apple (de-skinned) and cooked in a microwave for 3-5 minutes until soft.
- Mash the blackberries is a wide bottomed pan with a potato masher (don’t blend!)
- Combine with cooked apple or applesauce and maple syrup
- Place on medium heat and bring to a simmer
- Cook for 2-3 minutes
- Combine oat flour with water and pour into jam mixture
- Cook for another 2-3 minutes
- Remove from heat, transfer to a container and let cool
Nutrition Facts for this Insanely Healthy Blackberry Jam Alternative
For this homemade blackberry jam, you will notice that it has a very small amount of added sugar and as a result it has much lower carbs and sugar as well.
Why this Blackberry Jam Alternative is healthier than Regular Blackberry Jam
[wpdatatable id=10]As you can see in the table below, our homemade blackberry jam has 80% lower calories as compared to the store bought version. In addition, the amount of sugar too is lower by 83%. This means that you can enjoy this jam guilt free!
Frequently Asked Questions for this Healhty Blackberry Jam Alternative
Can I make this jam with other fruits?
Yes, this recipe can easily be adapted for other fruits. We will be publishing a blueberry version soon, so stay tuned.
Compatibility of Healthy Blackberry Jam with different Diets
Is this recipe KETO friendly
While fruits are not allowed in Keto diets, small amounts of this healthy blackberry jam should be perfectly safe and will not get you out of ketosis.
Is this recipe Paleo friendly
Yes, this homemade healthy blackberry jam is paleo friendly as it is made with all natural ingredients.
Is this recipe Slow Carb friendly
While fruits and maple syrup are not allowed on the slow carb diet, small amounts of this healthy blackberry jam should be perfectly safe.
Is this recipe Whole30 friendly?
Yes, this healthy blackberry jam is Whole30 friendly.
Is this recipe Vegetarian?
Yes, this healthy blackberry jam is vegetarian.
Is this recipe Vegan?
Yes, this healthy blackberry jam is vegan.
Storage and Freshness Info for Healthy Blackberry Jam
How long will healthy Blackberry Jam keep in the fridge?
Since this blackberry jam is made without any preservatives, it will not last longer than a week when refrigerated.
Homemade Healthy Blackberry Jam
Ingredients
- 2 cups blackberries 300 grams
- 1-2 tbsp Maple Syrup based on how sweet you like your jam
- 1/3 cooked and mashed apple or unsweetened applesauce 90 grams
- 1 tbsp oat flour
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Mash the blackberries is a wide bottomed pan with a potato masher (don’t blend!)
- Combine with cooked apple or applesauce and maple syrup
- Place on medium heat and bring to a simmer
- Cook for 2-3 minutes
- Combine oat flour with water and pour into jam mixture
- Cook for another 2-3 minutes
- Remove from heat, transfer to a container and let cool