Throughout my life I have always been a big fan of almost every kind of jam there is. When I was young, I ate everything I was given to and didn’t care at all about its nutritional value (obviously…). However, when I became aware of my food intake, I realized how much sugar there is in a jar of jam. Fruits contain naturally occurring sugars which is totally okay for your wellbeing because fruits also contain essential micronutrients. On the other hand, processed sugar is a substance that is slowly killing you and it’s the main reason for the development of many diseases such as cardiovascular issues, autoimmune disease, gastrointestinal disruptions, overweight, obesity, diabetes, etc. The pathogens in one’s body take sugar as their main nourishment and grow rapidly causing various health issues.

That’s why, I wanted to experiment and develop a recipe that excludes sugar but is delicious enough to satisfy all jam-lovers. When I thought about a sugar substitute suitable for this- stevia came up in my mind. To be entirely honest with you- it’s a bit hard to play with this one because of the strength of the sweetness. Moreover, many people say that stevia has a distinctive aftertaste, which is not always pleasant. The first batch of my jam came out REALLY sweet. So sweet that it got a bit bitter at the end, so I had to put some water in it and make the jam again. To be honest, I did not have any expectations when I was making the jam, because I realized that it will not be the same taste as every jam, but I gave it a try anyways.

Stevia contains no calories and it does not rise your blood sugar levels as many sweeteners do. It’s a plant, so there’re no chemical modification that can harm you. Frankly, due to stevia’s bitter aftertaste, many people refuse to consume it, but if you know that it’s the better version of sugar, wouldn’t you at least give it a chance? I did. And I got used to it, so it’s not that big of a deal. However, if you do not feel comfortable with it- don’t force yourself. After all, eating is an enjoyable process and you should love every bite.

Now, I would like to put an end to my thoughts and get you right to the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 800g blueberries and blackberries
• 100g stevia powder (I used SweetLeaf)
• 1/2 cup water
• 3-4 drops lemon juice

Method:

1. Put the stevia in the water and let it boil.
2. Wash the fruits and put them in the skillet.
3. Let it boil for approximately an hour and a half on low heat.
4. If there is too much water left, put it in a cup and use it later for something else.
5. Boil for another 10 minutes on high heat and set aside.
6. Add the lemon drops.
7. Leave overnight.
8. On the next day, boil it on high heat for another 10 minutes and set aside.
9. If your jam has the desired consistency, you are ready. Otherwise, you can do the overnight procedure once again until you reach the consistency you want.
10. Put the jam in a clean and dry jar.
11. Put it in a deep pan with water. (the water should cover the jar)
12. Put something over the jar to keep it stable.
13. Boil for 10 minutes.
14. Get the jar out and put it upside down for the night.
15. On the next day, the jam is ready and it is sterilized so you can keep it as long as you want until consumption.