Searching for an easy sugar free chia jam recipe? What would you say if I told you this recipe only takes 5 minutes?
This sugar free chia jam only requires 4 ingredients and has only 1.2g net carbs per tablespoon. Sugar free chia jam is packed with fibre, protein, plant omega-3 fatty acids and tasty colourful berries.
Sugar Free Chia Jam
This recipe for sugar free chia jam first appeared years ago in my free eBook "15 Low Carb Healthy Treats" that I still give away to subscribers to this day. But after posting my low-carb 3 seed bread last week, I thought it was about time to make it available here on the website.
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Sugar Free Chia Jam - only 4 ingredients
Who has time to make jam with all that sugar, sugar, sugar, boiling, sterilising, preserving jars blah blah blah, not me. And I refuse to buy sugar free jam from the supermarket because too many companies use artificial sweeteners such as Sucralose, aspartame or saccharin.
Or they use maltitol which raises blood sugars (try some, test your blood sugars, watch them rise and rise and rise). I prefer to use stevia, xylitol or erythritol. Yes there will be a little sugar in the chia jam from the berries, but look at the comparisons below.
Check-this-out!! Super easy sugar-free chia jam. 4 ingredients & 5 minutes. 1.2g net carbs/tbspSugar free chia jam only takes 5 minutes to make and can set in 20 minutes. It is jam packed with delicious high fibre chia seeds with all their plant omega-3 fatty acids.
You can even make the chia jam with any berry. The sugar and carb count will vary depending on which berry you choose to use. Look here at all the carbs in fruits to compare.
- Regular berry jam - per 20g tbsp = 13g carbohydrates, 13g sugars
- Sugar free chia jam - per 20g tbsp = 3.5g carbohydrates, 0.8g sugar
So why are chia seeds so brilliant? Chia seeds have the most amazing ability to absorb many times their size in liquid and swell and thicken. It is this property that we can harness to make a super easy chia jam and jellies.
Once you buy a bag of chia seeds, you may want to try these other recipes -
You can vary how thick or spreadable you would like your chia jam to be. Simply add more chia seeds and watch it quickly thicken. Alternatively, add more water or berries and it will become a little more liquid in its texture.
Sugar Free Chia Jam - seeds and 'bits'
Personally I like to seed the little seeds from the berries I used to make the jam, but if you have picky children, why not puree it with a stick blender? As time goes on, puree the jam less and less, because children must get used to lumpy 'bits' in their food. For many children, the food they favour comes down to texture. This is a tricky aspect to deal with overnight, but it can be done. For some, this may take months.
Some children will eat mince/ground beef, but not a steak. Some children will eat fruit puree, but not a piece of fruit. Some will eat tomato paste on a pizza, but not a whole tomato. If we can help encourage children even a tiny way towards accepting different textures, their food repertoire will begin to grow.
Ways To Use Sugar Free Chia Jam
There are so many ways to use chia jam. How about on a warm piece of low-carb 3 seed bread with butter? Hidden inside a chocolate mug cake? Poured over keto waffles or paleo pancakes? Or use as a topping on a sugar free ice cream?
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- Paleo Pancakes
Sugar Free Chia Jam
Calculate ingredients
Ingredients
- 125 g (1 1/4 cups) berries fresh or frozen
- 3 tbsp (3 tbsp) chia seeds
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) lemon juice
- 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) granulated sweetener of choice or more to your taste
- 80 ml (1/3 cup) water
Instructions
- If using frozen berries, allow them to defrost. Mash the berries with a fork until a lumpy puree is created.
- Add the chia seeds, lemon juice, sweetener and water. Mix.
- Pour into a little jam jar or storage container and place in the fridge to set.
- Once the chia jam has set, mix again to ensure all the berries and chia seeds are evenly distributed. Enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
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Carlton
Hey! This is kind of off topic but I need some advice from an established
blog. Is it hard to set up your own blog? I'm not very techincal but I can figure
things out pretty quick. I'm thinking about making my own but I'm not sure where to start.
Do you have any points or suggestions? Many thanks
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Spoiler alert, it takes a lot of work. Once you get to a certain point, you then need to find some amazing people to help you as there is no way you can do all of this by yourself. But it is the most fulfilling thing I have ever done. As an ex-pharmacist, knowing I have helped more people regain their health in the last 6 years using low-carb nutrition, rather than through dispensing their prescriptions, is so incredibly rewarding. Good luck Carlton 🙂
Anna
What sweetener would you recommend for this recipe? What sweetener did you use?
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
I generally prefer erythritol and/or stevia/ You may wish to read my Ultimate Guide To Low-Carb Sweeteners. You can see what I use and what I avoid.
Jamie J Richens
Hi I’ve tried your Jam before absolutely loved it but been long enough for me to forget, how long does it it keep, this time I want to make it for mother’s da but the mother I have to send it to is in Melbourne and I’m on the Sunshine Coast? Tia
Jamie
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
I would only keep it for a few days, possibly a week. I'm not sure it would survive the postal service?
Susan DeVoy
I used strawberries because believe this, it was the only fruit in Kroger at the time. As a jam on toast , it was good but then I had some whipped cream and folded a teaspoon (wanted to check first) of the Chia Jam in it. OMG! What a nice little treat! Felt like I was cheating with Strawberry Ice Cream. Can you freeze whipped Cream after you make it? Think I am going to try a small bowl with the jam to see how it works out.
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Yes, whipped cream freezes well, almost a cheats ice cream. Keep it in an airtight container so it doesn't dry out (freezer burn).
Cevilla
Can this chia jam be canned n sealed??
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
I'm not a jam making expert, but I don't think so. Canning and sealing regular jam is self-preserving because of the high sugar content, which is lacking here. I fear bacteria would grow in chia jam that has been stored for a longer time than is specified in this recipe. Luckily chia jam is quick and easy to whip up a little batch every few days.
Bonnie
If I want topp use fresh berries, do I cook them down.. cool..and smash?
Does it freeze well?
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Yes, that would work. Simply warm until hot, but not boiling, then cool and smash with the other ingredients. Yum.
Jodie Davis
Absolute winner! I just made this with black raspberries I had picked over the summer & froze. Simply fabulous & fabulously simple. Thank you!
Robin
The chia jam is sooo good that I am making a double batch today as yesterdays is gone (shared it around!). I love the way the chia seeds look like the raspberry seeds. I left my raspberries unmashed as I like the lumpy fruit. Teams well with the 3 seed bread. Thank you so much.
Zaden
Does this have a similar texture to Chia pudding (I hate chia pudding) or is it closer to chunky jam? I prefer smooth textures so when you talk about pureeing it for children do you mean that after adding the chia you puree it? Or is it after the jam has set? Thank you! Thinking of replacing my gluten free morning cereal with some keto choc waffles with this jam, cream and blueberries! (might not have the blueberries depending on carb content lol, gotta keep the carbs low ;p)
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Yes it does have that "chia" texture. I have pureed it before allowing it to set, this made it a little smoother.
Megan
Can I forgo lemon or is there something that isnt acidic to add? They cause me a lot of bladder pain ??
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Yes you can omit the lemon. It just adds a little sharper taste to it and keeps the colour remain bright.
Deborah
Could this be used with citrus to make a marmalade?
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Oooooh, dang that is a fabulous idea!!!
Debra
Do you think this would work with kiwis? I have an abundant harvest and they are all ripening at once!
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Hmm, great question and I'm not too sure of the answer. I don't know how the enzymes in the kiwifruit would react with the chia. In theory it should set as thew chia purely swells with the liquid, but as we know, kiwifruit will stop gelatine from setting due to the enzymes. I'd love you to come back and let me know the results. Just remember kiwifruit are quite high in sugar, but when they are in your backyard, it seems a crime not to use them 🙂
Elaine
So disappointed..... my jam turned out black in colour from the chia seeds and not juicy and red as your pic.... I used frozen berries so wonder did that make the difference and it was not very sweet so I will have to add a bit more sweetness. I did freeze some in little glass pots and they defrosted perfectly
Paul
Nice jam, thanks for sharing, would this freeze?
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
I have never tried, nor been asked before but I don't see why that wouldn't work. In fact, you could freeze individual portions in an ice cube tray! Genius!
Pippa Loiacono
My jam won't set. What can I do?
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Easy peasy. Add more chia seeds. Chia seeds have the wonderful quality of soaking up more liquid. Depending on which berries you have used, and whether they have been washed, frozen etc may make the jam more liquid. Add another tablespoon of chia seeds at a time until it sets. Remember the chia seeds will take a few minutes to swell and absorb the liquid, so don't add too much too quickly, otherwise you may have a jelly which has gone the other way, and is too solid.
Michele
Would ground chia work as well as the whole seed? Would I use less?
Gina
Could you use tomatoes. My grandmother made tomato jelly and it was my favorite!
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Wow, I have never heard of that. Yes, that would work.
F
How long will this store in a refrigerator?
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
I would keep it for up to a week in the fridge. Just make enough to last you that long, then make another batch each time you want to enjoy some more. It's such a quick recipe (thank goodness), you can make it on a regular basis 🙂
Denise
Could I use cherries instead of berries? Or should I just try it?
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Sure thing. You may need to adjust the amount of sweetener you require. Cherry chia jam, here we come!
Kelly
Hey... Just wondering if you could use maple syrup as the sweetener? I can't tolerate the natural sweeteners very well (stevia, xylitol, honey, coconut sugar), but find maple syrup is OK. Would the amount of water need to be lowered because of the chia seeds??
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
You can use maple syrup, the sweetener is up to you, but it will no longer be sugar free. Read this article where I discuss all the sweeteners I use and which one I avoid.
Lynda
I make this often - I mix it through plain yoghurt mostly but it's great anywhere you'd usually have jam. It also makes a great topping for a low carb cheesecake!
Denise Farr
Great ideas. I will use it on top of the No Bake Lemon Cheesecake next time, and also to stir through yoghurt or cream. Easy to make. I found just half a tablespoon of stevia worked fine for us.
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