Easy sugar free raspberry jam! You will be astonished how quickly this chia seed jam comes together. It’s delicious and healthy, and perfect for spreading on your favorite keto baked goods. Instructional video included.
This sugar free chia seed jam recipe was first published in September of 2013. I haven’t changed the recipe at all, but I’ve updated the photos and added a new video!
If you follow foodie trends, chances are high you’ve heard of chia seeds. If you follow health trends, chances are high you’ve heard of chia seeds. And if you follow running trends, chances are high you’ve heard of chia seeds.
You would essentially have to pay no attention to trends, eat only junk food and never get off your couch to not have heard of chia by now. And even if that were the case, you probably have still heard of chia, because it was made famous by the commercials for ch-ch-chia pets. Remember those? Ah yes. Now that we’re all on the same page, let’s discuss those funny little black seeds and why they are so trendy in food, health and fitness.
What is Chia Seed?
Chia seeds are tiny little black seeds from the Salvia hispanics plant native to Mexico and Guatemala.
It’s been on the radar of many a healthy foodie for a while now, but I daresay that it gained some serious fame with the book Born To Run. I am quite certain that the sale of chia seeds saw a significant spike after it was published, as runners of all abilities stocked up, hoping for a competitive advantage from the unassuming black seed.
In the book, chia is described as having nearly magical properties, giving seemingly inhuman strength and energy to the ultra-runners of the Tarahumara. Although it seems new to many of us, Mesoamerican peoples have been consuming it for thousands of years, both as food and as medicine. And according to many sources, Aztec warriors fueled themselves exclusively on chia and water before battle.
Who doesn’t want a little of that in their lives?
How to Cook with Chia Seed
But besides all of the purported health benefits of chia, it’s fascinating to see how chia behaves in cooking and baking.
Take a tablespoon of chia seeds and add some water and you will see what I mean. Within a few short minutes, it becomes a gelatinous mass, like jelly or pudding. It’s slightly hilarious how quickly it gums up. The chia seed shell begins to dissolve and the high soluble fiber content absorbs huge amounts of liquid.
It’s rather like a weird fun science experiment.
This particular quality makes chia very useful in a number of recipes that require a jelly-like consistency, such as pudding. It also makes a great replacement for eggs in egg-free or vegan recipes.
Perfect for Easy Sugar Free Jam
But when I started to see chia seed jam on the foodie blogosphere, I stopped dead in my tracks.
Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
Traditional jam takes hours to make, cooking the berries and adding the gelatin, along with copious amounts of sugar. And you can’t just replace the sugar with keto sweeteners, because sugar helps inhibit mold and helps the jam gel properly. Seems counterintuitive but it’s true. So when you make sugar free jam, you have to add more acid in exact quantities and you have to use special pectins.
But chia seed jam gels virtually instantly and those little chia seeds don’t really care what kind of sweetener you use. Of course, it won’t preserve like traditional jam that’s been cooked and canned, but it’s so easy to whip up, you can do small batches to keep in the fridge.
I had to give it a try, sugar-free of course, and I mixed mine with raspberries. I figured raspberries have so many seeds anyway, the addition of a few tablespoons of chia seed would go practically unnoticed. It was delicious and I’ve used it in so many recipes since. A great way to enjoy a little keto friendly jam!
Keto Chia Seed Recipes
Keto Rosemary Parmesan Crackers
Keto Blueberry Coconut Smoothies
Chia Seed Wraps
Matcha Chia Pudding
Raspberry Chia Seed Jam - Sugar-Free
Ingredients
- 8 oz frozen raspberries
- 2 tbsp Swerve Sweetener
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the berries, sweetener, and water. Bring to a boil and cook until berries are soft enough to mash with a fork. Mash to desired consistency.
- Remove from heat and stir in chia seeds. Let cool. Transfer to a glass jar and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours to set.
- Keep refrigerated. The jam will last up to a week.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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I’ve never tried them, but definitely want to!
This looks delicious, love the photographs! I have tried simple chia pudding (chia seeds + coconut milk) but have never tried any other recipes with chia seeds. Definitely want to try this, and also a chocolate mousse, NOMMM. Thanks for the giveaway 🙂
I’ve never tried chia seeds…the vision of growing a chia pet in my stomach keeps creeping into my head, but your jam looks SO good, Carolyn!
I love using chia seeds on top of cereal or granola and yogurt!
what size is a serving???
Hi. At the top of the recipe, it specifies how much it makes (about 1 and 1/4 cups) and that a serving size is 1 tbsp.
you are a genius! can’t wait to try!!!
I recently picked up a bag mixed of chia, flax, cocoa, and unsweetened coconut. I sprinkle it on yogurt.
I’ve yet to try chia all on its own. This jam looks yummy. Thanks!
I’ve had Drink Chia drinks and loved the meyer lemon flavor, but have yet to make anything on my own. This will be my first. I LOVE raspberries and this is so easy. I can’t wait.
I love to use chia in chia puddings!
How timely! I just bought some Bob’s Chia this weekend to try to make some GF bread similar to Udi’s Millet and Chia.
Ooooooh. Soudns super yummy!!!! Can’t wait to try this recipe out :0)
I love chia! I’ve used it in “chia pudding” and as an egg replacer.
I’ve only stirred them into yogurt and cereals, but I think I’ll check out the Hot Cereal recipe. And someone commented about mixing it with tea to sort of make a kind of bubble tea, that sounds interesting!
What a great recipe! I have raspberries almost ready for picking and I know what I will be doing with most of them!
I love chia seeds! I have been using them as eggs for baking, in my oatmeal, and muffins, breads, topping eggs and avocados! Great tasty crunch!
I can’t wait to see your chia seed hangout – love the idea of chia seeds in jam. Great way to get chia seeds into breakfast.