Low Sugar Jam Recipes

Can I use regular pectin for low sugar jam? If you are looking for low sugar jam recipes at home, we've got you covered.

By Roberta Bailey
Updated on July 9, 2023
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by Corbis
With these simple ingredients, you can make naturally sweet, low-calorie jams and jellies.

Can I use regular pectin for low sugar jam? If you are looking for low sugar jam recipes at home, we’ve got you covered.

The first time I made my own jam, I was shocked to find that the recipe called for more sugar than fruit. When I tried to reduce the sugar in the recipe, I ended up with a thin syrup instead of the thick, fruity jam I had envisioned.

As I learned more about making preserves, I found out that pectin, a carbohydrate derived from fruit, is what causes jams and jellies to thicken, and it works best when a substantial amount of sugar is included in the recipe.

But one type of pectin, low-methoxyl pectin, thickens jams and jellies with little or no sugar. This pectin makes it possible to create jams and jellies sweetened with honey, artificial sweeteners, the herbal sweetener stevia, or just with fruit. It’s even easier to make low-sugar fruit “butters,” such as peach or apple butter, because these are made without any added pectin at all.

Like many foods these days, homemade jams and jellies often taste much better than store-bought. You can find good buys on quantities of fruit from local growers — check your farmer’s markets and classified ads. And if you’re too busy to make preserves when the fruit is ripe, you can freeze it and process it later when time is not at such a premium.

How Pectin Works

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