Consuming 1-2 tbsp of blueberry jam with no added sugar a day is good for you, as it has a high antioxidant content. Eating raw blueberries is much healthier, though.
How much sugar is in blueberry jam?
Blueberry jam is pretty high in sugar. It contains about 50 g of sugars per 100g. A tbsp (20 g) of blueberry jam contains approximately 10 g of sugars and 40 calories![1]
If you want to lose weight, follow a ketogenic diet, or have diabetes, you shouldn’t consume blueberry jam. You could consume raw blueberries, though. They have a much lower sugar content, and they’re pretty low in calories!
Are there any low sugar blueberry jams?
All blueberry jams contain sugar. However, there are jams with no added sugar. They may contain even less than 1.5 g of sugar per tbsp!
Low-carb sweeteners may be used, instead of sugar. Stevia or xylitol are common sugar substitutes.
1 tablespoon of a premium, sugar-free jam supports weight loss!
Too much added sugar is unhealthy
Sugar is empty calories. It hasn’t any nutritional value. It contains no vitamins, minerals, fiber, or antioxidants.
Certainly, we should avoid consuming foods with added sugar, such as sodas, sweets, or most highly processed foods.
Consuming high amounts of added sugar may lead to decreased insulin sensitivity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, inflammations, and increased uric acid levels.[2,3]
Hence, excess sugar promotes the development of cardiovascular disease, obesity, metabolic disease, and type 2 diabetes.
In contrast, sugar naturally present in fruits, vegetables, or milk hasn’t been associated with any side effect.
Most jams are packed with added sugar, though. Blueberry jams as well.
You should prefer blueberry jams with no added sugar. You can find a wide variety of sugar-free blueberry jams on Amazon.
Can blueberry jam make us fat?
We gain weight when we consume more calories than we burn. Therefore, overconsumption of blueberry jam can make us gain weight.
On the other hand, eating reasonable amounts of a sugar-free blueberry jam, as part of a healthy, well-balanced diet, isn’t bad for you.
You should be careful about the total consumption of added sugar, though.
Excessive sugar consumption may affect the reward system of the brain. It may alter your eating behavior! Too much added sugar intake may lead to compulsive overeating![4]
So, better avoid foods with added sugar, like sodas and sweets. Not only, sugar is high in empty calories, but also, it makes it difficult to follow a hypocaloric diet long-term.
Moreover, blueberry jam is poor in fiber. A tbsp contains only 0.2 g of fiber! Fiber controls appetite and prevents cravings for fattening foods. Therefore, prefer eating whole blueberries. They’re good dietary sources of fiber! Also, raw blueberries promote weight loss!
Does blueberry jam have antioxidants?
Certainly, blueberry jam overconsumption may be bad for you, due to its high sugar content. However, blubbery jam with no added sugar can be healthy because blueberries are pretty rich in powerful antioxidant compounds.
First, blueberries are good sources of vitamin C. Also, they’re particularly rich in flavonoids (mainly anthocyanidins), polyphenols (procyanidin), phenolic acids, pyruvic acid, and chlorogenic acid.[5]
Antioxidants fight free radicals and protect us from oxidative stress, which is a common cause of many chronic diseases.
Other common foods rich in antioxidants are fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices.
How much blueberry jam can I eat a day?
The American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than 25-36 g of added sugar per day. However, American adults consume an average of 77 grams of sugar per day. More than 3 times the recommended amount.[6]
Just a tbsp of a commercial blueberry jam contains approximately 10 g of sugar, most of which is added sugar. So, people who follow a sedentary life better consume no more than 2 tbsp of blueberry jam a day.
Certainly, you can eat much higher amounts of raw blueberries! Eating whole fruits is much healthier than consuming fruit jams or juices!
Furthermore, you can take advantage of the health benefits of blueberries year-round without the extra sugar by consuming organic blueberry extracts or powders. You can find them on iHerb.
What’s the best time of the day to eat jam?
The best time of the day to eat blueberry jam is at breakfast. First, the human body uses sugar as energy throughout the day. In contrast, the body may store sugar as body fat when consumed late at night.
Moreover, it’s good for you to increase the antioxidant capacity of the body first thing in the morning. Antioxidant compounds in blueberries can help the body fight oxidative stress. Air pollution, sunlight radiation, and smoking are key factors that can lead to oxidative stress.[7,8,9]
Another great time of the day to consume blueberry jam is after strenuous exercise. Sugar helps replenish muscle glycogen stores. In addition, antioxidants in blueberries promote muscle recovery! You could add blueberry jam to your favorite post-workout pancake!
