A typical store purchased jam has 6 grams of sugar in just 1 tablespoon of jam. This means that half of the jam is sugar. Not the sugar found in the fruit, added sugar! There’s a couple of reasons that jam is half refined sugar. 1 – sugar keeps people coming back for more because it’s so sweet. 2 – sugar is cheaper than real fruit.
Sugar is hidden in a lot of processed foods and we often get more than we think. In the early 1900s the average person in the U.S. consumed about 1.5 teaspoons of sugar a day. That’s just 5 pounds of sugar per year. Today the average person eats approximately 47 teaspoons of sugar in a day. That’s a staggering 152 pounds of sugar in one year!
All of this sugar adds stress to the body and has nothing significant to offer in regards to nutrients that keep us healthy. That’s why sugar-packed foods are often called “empty calories”.
Jam in its most basic form (fruit) can be a healthy food that contributes wonderful flavor and a dose of nutrients. This jam is delicious with just the berry flavor or can be sweetened with dates or honey. The chia seeds not only create a jam-like consistency, they also contribute a load of nutrients.
This recipe fills one 12 ounce mason jar. It pairs great with our zucchini bread, peanut butter bread or chocolate banana bread. Or simply lather on a couple of 100% whole grain or sprouted grain toast.
This recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of date paste (or honey) for extra sweetness. Check out our date post to learn more about this sweet fruit.
We this this immersion blender to smooth the jam (note this is an affiliate link).
4-Ingredients Berry Chia Jam
Ingredients
- 2 cups berries raspberries, blackberries or strawberries
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1-2 Tbsp date paste or honey/agave
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
Instructions
- Place berries and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes, or until berries soften, stirring regularly.
- Remove from heat. Add remaining ingredients and stir well.
- For chunkier jam, mash with a potato masher until desired consistency is reached. For a smoother consistency, blend with an immersion blender or carefully move mixture to a blender and pulse until desired consistency is reached.
- Let cool for 30 minutes. Mixture will firm as it cools. Transfer to a mason jar and store in the refrigerator. Jam is best served after at least 8 hours of refrigeration.
Notes
Nutrition
Can I grind the seed?
Yes, you can grind the seeds. You’ll still get the jam consistency and the same great flavor!