Sugar-Free Strawberry Jam

Kendall
by Kendall
1/2 cup
40 min

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Store-bought jams are often loaded with sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, both of which cause rapid spikes in one’s blood sugar levels. The good news is, you can easily make jam at home using just a few simple and natural ingredients! This sugar-free strawberry jam contains only fruit, Swerve sweetener and chia seeds so its a much healthier, tastier and fresher alternative that also happens to be great for those following a low-carb diet!

How to make sugar-free strawberry jam


Making this sugar-free strawberry jam is really straightforward and requires only a handful of ingredients. Determine how much jam you’d like in order to determine how many cups of strawberries you need. For reference, I used 4 cups (or about 500g) for this recipe, which produced 1/2 cup of jam. If you’d like more, simply double the recipe!



Start by dicing the strawberries into small pieces. They don’t have to be neat or uniform- just enough to help speed up the process of reducing the fruit! Add the strawberries to a large pot with the water and cover. The water is just there to keep the strawberries from burning as they’re heated. Bring the mixture to a boil before reducing the heat to medium-low and simmering for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, reduce the heat to low and add the lemon juice. Using a masher or fork, begin to break the strawberries down, as pictured above.



Continue cooking uncovered on low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the strawberries have reduced by half. Stir frequently for the last five minutes of cook time to make sure the fruit doesn’t burn.


Remove from the heat and stir in the Swerve sweetener, adjusting to taste.


How can I thicken low-carb jam?


Typically jam is thickened with pectin but I prefer to use low-carb options such as chia seeds or xanthan gum. You can use whole chia seeds if you don’t mind the globs they create, or you can grind them up into a powder instead! Using chia seeds in this recipe as a thickening agent has the added bonus of giving you a dose of healthy fats with your jam!

How many carbs are in sugar-free strawberry jam?


Store-bought jams have about 12g of sugar in each tablespoon. That means, if you have 3 tablespoons of jam, you’re taking in almost as much sugar as one can of coke.


By comparison, this jam has just 3g of sugar per tablespoon, all of which is from the natural sugars of the strawberries. So, while having 3 tablespoons of this jam would not fit a keto diet, it is more than OK for a low-carb diet or for those with diabetes.


How long does sugar-free jam last?


Since this jam is made without sugar or preservatives, it must be stored in the fridge, where it will stay fresh for about a week. Since it is so easy to throw together, I recommend making only as much as you know you can finish in a weeks time.

Is sugar-free jam good for diabetics?


Sugar-free jam is definitely a good option for diabetics. Regular jam is not only high in added sugars, but many also contain high-fructose core syrup. High-fructose corn syrup is incredibly high on the glycemic index, which means it causes rapid spikes in one’s blood sugar.


A homemade version, like this sugar-free strawberry jam, is a much healthier option as it contains no added sugars, no high-fructose corn syrup and will keep your blood sugar levels balanced. This is great news for everyone, not just diabetics!

Other low-carb-friendly spreads


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Recipe details
  • 1/2  cup
  • Prep time: 5 Minutes Cook time: 35 Minutes Total time: 40 min
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Ingredients

  • 4 cups (500g) strawberries, diced
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon chia seeds, ground
  • 2 teaspoons Swerve Confectioners sweetener
Instructions

Add diced strawberries and water to a large pot on the stove. Bring to a boil with the lid on. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the lemon juice and use a fork or masher to mash the strawberries. Reduce to low heat.
Continue cooking uncovered on low for 20 minutes, or until the strawberries have reduced by half. Stir frequently for the last 5 minutes of cook time.
Remove from heat. Stir in the ground chia seeds and Swerve sweetener. Taste and adjust to your liking.
Let jam cool completely before transferring to an airtight container like a mason jar and storing in the fridge. Jam should last for a week in the fridge.
Kendall
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