This easy no cook chia jam makes a healthy low sugar alternative to standard jam! It is packed full of goodness with the fruit of your choice and nutritious chia seeds. No cooking required - just leave in the fridge to thicken! Chia jam is much lower in sugar than normal jam and you can also easily make it refined sugar free. This makes it perfect for kids and of course it is gluten free too!
Chia jam isn't jam as we know it in the traditional sense, so it requires no lengthy cooking over a hot stove, no added pectin and no added refined sugar! In addition the nutritious chia seeds are packed full of omega 3's, a good source of calcium and fibre.
Sounds good to me!
Chia jam is not only healthy and tasty but very versatile. It be enjoyed as a healthy fruit spread but also can be added to porridge, muesli, smoothies or to your favourite dessert. I like to make a couple of batches and then freeze portions in ice cube trays to take out as needed for adding to porridge or smoothies.
I usually like to make chia jam with berries - raspberries being my personal favourite. Strawberries, blueberries, boysenberries, peaches and apricots also all work well!
For the chia jam in these photos I decided to try a new fruit and have used slightly tart, beautiful red Chilean guavas - see below.
I am very fortunate to currently have an abundance of Chilean guavas growing on a tree in my garden. Not being one to waste food, I have put these little gems to good use in my chia jam and have frozen a couple of batches to keep for smoothies.
Chilean guavas are tangy but slightly sweet - so they go perfectly in this jam and give it an absolutely stunning colour!
There are a few different ways to make chia jam and if you have a search on the internet you will find recipes that require cooking the fruit and chia seeds.
I prefer this no cook method, it is so quick and easy - you can't go wrong!
I hope you enjoy this recipe, if you are looking for other recipes with chia seeds you may like my Chia Seed Porridge with Cinnamon Pears and Feijoas or Creamy Coconut, Chia, Acai & Strawberry Layered Smoothie.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! Please let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
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Have a lovely week!
Hope
Love Food Nourish Nutrition Info at a glance
- Chia seeds are a good source of omega 3 essential fatty acids making them anti-inflammatory and great for inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema and acne.
- Chia seeds are a good source of calcium and magnesium making them beneficial for healthy bones and a healthy nervous system. They are also a source of copper, manganese, phosphorous, iron and zinc.
- Chia seeds are an excellent source of fibre and can help with a digestive regularity. The soluble fibre in chia seeds can work as a prebiotic which can help support the growth of probiotics in the digestive system.
- Chia seeds are an excellent source of antioxidants, they have been shown to inhibit up to 70% of free radical activity.
Easy Chia Jam – Refined Sugar Free
Ingredients
- 2 cups guava or fruit or berries of choice - defrosted if using frozen berries
- 2 tablespoon chia seeds
- 2 tablespoon warm water
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup or honey or 7 drops of liquid stevia if wanting sugar-free.
Instructions
- Add the fruit, chia seeds, warm water and sweetener of your choice to a high powered blender. Blitz until you reach the consistency you desire (I like mine quite smooth so I blitz until the fruit is blended). Check the taste and add more sweetener if desired.
- Put the chia jam covered, in the fridge for 1 hour to thicken. Then use as required on toast, bagels, waffles, add into smoothies, porridge or desserts.
- Can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week in an airtight container or frozen for up to 4 weeks.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrtition Information
This nutritional information is an estimate only and is provided as a courtesy to readers. It was auto-generated based on serving size, number of servings, and typical information for the ingredients listed in the recipe card. Please feel free to use your preferred nutrition calculator. Please consult your doctor about any specific dietary requirements.
Source:
Balch, Phyllis A. Prescription for Dietary Wellness. New York, NY: Penguin, 2003.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24811150
