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Making Jam with Stevia

Asked by:

Pauline Strnad

Posted at:

January 26, 2025

As you can see from the subject line I have a bit of a challenge. Have you ever played with Stevia as a sweetener in a sugarless jam or jelly for diabetics? I'd really like to know if you have had any successes. I've tried it with gelatin, homemade apple pectin, and commercial pectin. Not great. Any recipes or advice. Any help much appreciated.
I am sorry that I do not have any experience making preserves with stevia. For conventional recipes for jams and jellies, sugar is an important part of the gelling process (along with acid and pectin). Have you tried any of the non-sugar jams that are on the market? Sorry I cannot be of much help on this.
[Note added by the editor:] The cookbook on stevia by Ray Sahelian and Donna Gates ("The Stevia Cookbook: Cooking with Nature's Calorie-free Sweetener" – available from Richters) has recipes for sweet foods such as pies, dessert sauces, cookies, custards, etc., but none for jams or jellies. The authors note that stevia does not work as well as sugar in certain foods that depend on some of sugar's physical properties (besides the sweetness of sugar). Examples are baked goods such as cakes, breads and muffins which do not rise as well with stevia substituted for sugar. No doubt the physical aspects are important for jams and jellies as well because sugar is normally a major ingredient by weight in those foods.