Easy 4-ingredient Chia Seed Jam (Ready in 5 Minutes!)

This easy chia seed jam recipe is a healthy and delicious alternative to store-bought. It packs a nutritional punch thanks to the raspberries and chia seeds. So, spread it on toast or add it to your breakfast bowls. This is one healthy jam you can eat without guilt.

Jump to:

• Nutritional Benefits
• Cooking Tips
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Easy, Healthy Chia Seed Jam (4-ingredients only!)
• Serve With These Recipes

Nutritional Benefits

Is chia seed jam healthy?

You've probably hear that jams and jellies have high sugar content and should be eaten in moderation. That's true.

That's because a lot of that sugar content is added sugar. Jam is made by heating up fruit with sugar and pectin. To make matters worse, the mixture can often include fruits that are heavily sprayed with pesticides, along with preservatives and artificial flavours.

By going the homemade route, you get more control of what goes in your jam. Here are a few reasons you should feel better about eating chia seed jam.

• You can use organic fruit. Raspberries are on of the most heavily sprayed fruits. Nearly 60% of raspberries tested are positive for contamination and they are known to be sprayed with nearly 40 chemicals. If you can find it and afford it, go organic.
• You're getting the health benefits of chia seeds. Known as a superfood, this seed is packed with omega-3 fatty acids, and is high in fibre and protein. They work great as a thickening agent in this jam, because they absorb several times their mass in fruit juices and become jelly-like as a result.
• You're using honey as a sweetener instead of table sugar. Don't get me wrong, honey is still sugar. That said, it's a better alternative to table sugar for two reasons. Firstly, it is higher in fructose than glucose, which means you can use less to get the same level of sweetness. Secondly, honey has vitamins and minerals that have added health benefits, where table sugar does not.
• You can choose to leave sugar out altogether. This chia seed jam recipe tastes good without honey too. It's slightly more tart, but you still have a good level of sweetness thanks to the berries. See what suits your taste buds and adjust the honey measurements from there.

Cooking Tips

What kind of raspberries should you use?

Your best bet is to use frozen organic raspberries.

I already told you why you should go organic. But, why frozen? Well, as raspberries thaw out, they'll release a lot of juices. The chia seeds need that moisture to absorb and thicken into chia jam.

Plus, frozen berries have a ton of advantages. Here are two:

1. Fresh berries can be very expensive – especially when they’re out of season. Frozen can definitely be more affordable. You'll get more bang for your buck, getting a big bag of raspberries for the same price as a small container.
2. It’s easy to believe that “fresh is best”. But, frozen is often the healthier alternative. Why? Well, berries that go to your grocery store are often days past harvest by the time they make it on the shelves. With each day that passes, the fruit loses part of its nutritional value that was present when it was picked. Frozen berries, on the other hand, are usually flash frozen the day they are picked. This helps preserve the fruit’s natural nutrients and antioxidants.

How long does chia seed jam last?

Once you finish this easy chia seed raspberry jam recipe, store it in a sealed mason jar. It will last for one week in the fridge or one year in the freezer.

If you decide to freeze the jam, just ensure it's in an airtight container. Then, when you're ready to use it, simply remove it and place it in the fridge to thaw overnight.

Does chia jam taste like regular jam?

Similar. But, the consistency of chia seed jam is a little bit more sauce-like than the traditional, store-bought varieties. That said, it still tastes great on toasts, in breakfast bowls, or in oatmeal. You'll hardly notice the difference when it's mixed in with other ingredients.

If that turned you off and you truly like the thicker texture of traditional jams, just make sure you leave your chia jam in the fridge overnight before eating. As the chia seeds sit in the liquid, they'll absorb and expand into a slightly thicker consistency. This will bring you closer to what you're used to.

Ingredients

Here's what you need to get started:

• 1 tablespoon of chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon of warm water
• 1 cup of frozen raspberries, thawed
• ¾ tablespoon of honey (optional)

Instructions

Here are the steps you need to follow:

1. Insert S blade into food processor
2. Add all ingredients to the food processor
3. Blend for 45 - 60 seconds until mixture reaches smooth consistency

Recipe Notes:

• Don't forget to thaw the berries ahead of time (3 hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge).
• You can use less or more honey in this recipe to suit your desired level of sweetness.

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Serve With These Recipes

This chia seed jam is a great addition to toast, yogurt bowls, or oatmeal. And, it's a winning combo with nut butter. Here are a few recipes you could try adding chia jam too. Warning: this might taste delicious.