It’s late summer, jammin’ time. You know what I mean.

Whether you're cleaning out the freezer, picking the last of the salmonberries, or harvesting your second crop of rhubarb, making jam is a time-honored way to preserve summer in a jar.

But today, things are different in our kitchen. For years, I made jam the old-fashioned way, with white sugar and no pectin. I cooked the fruit down until it turned into a rich, caramelly preserve.

But I could no longer ignore the fact that limiting added sugars in our food is a key for better health. I had to change how I made jam.

The Health Risks of Eating Too Much Sugar

Before we get to the recipe, let’s talk about sugar. You must admit, sugar has a complex relationship with health—and often it's confusing. On one hand, many healthy foods contain natural sugar. But the biggest concern is the amount of refined sugar that's often added to processed food.

Excessive consumption of white sugar poses significant health risks, such as obesity, an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. It can also contribute to fatty liver disease, damage teeth leading to cavities, increase the risk of certain cancers, and accelerate cellular aging and cognitive decline.

True, sugar is a carbohydrate that provides energy. So it has an important role. But, according to Harvard Medical School, "The problem people have with sugar is they often consume too much of the wrong kind."

A healthy way you can think about sugar is to consider its source: natural sugars are found in whole fruits, vegetables, and grains. Consuming these sources of sugar is a good thing.

Refined sugar, or "added" sugar, comes from cane, sugar beets, and corn, which is highly processed.

Let’s look at the numbers: A study by Harvard researchers found an association between a diet high in refined sugars and a greater risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.

Over 15 years, people who got 20% of their calories from refined sugar had a 40% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than those who consumed only 8% of their calories as refined sugar.

Why I Stopped Using White Sugar in My Jam

That's why I love this jam. It is super easy, and it's sweetened with honey (or maple syrup), and thickened with arrowroot powder. (More on arrowroot in a bit). I found commercial pectin to be overly fussy and produced more failures than successes.

One more reason to love this recipe: it does not require finishing in a boiling water bath.

With experience, you'll be able to "read" your fruit. A mix of high pectin fruit with low pectin fruit works well.

I've also worked hard to eliminate refined sugar from my diet, ever since we adopted a whole-food, plant-based diet in 2016, following my husband's mini-stroke, also known as a TIA. That was a scary moment in our lives. You can learn how it happened in this YouTube video:

What Is Pectin and Which Fruits Have It?

Pectin is a water-soluble fiber that occurs naturally in most fruits. It’s most concentrated in the peel or skin. Pectin helps jellies gel, gives jam that perfect spreadable consistency, and causes preserves to set.

Here’s a breakdown of fruits by their natural pectin content:

High-pectin fruits: tart, underripe apples, unripe blackberries, lemons, limes, crab apples, cranberries, currants, gooseberries, plums (but not the Italian variety)
Medium-pectin fruits: ripe apples, sour cherries, oranges, California grapes
Low-pectin fruits: blueberries, apricots, ripe cherries, peaches, pears, pineapple, raspberries, strawberries, rhubarb, mango

Small-Batch No-Sugar Fruit Jam Recipe

Makes about 4 half pints

• 6 cups berries and/or other fruit
• 1/2 to 1 cup honey (depending on sweetness of fruit)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• arrowroot powder diluted in a little bit of water (see notes below)

Wash, clean, and measure the berries. In a stainless steel pot add fruit, a little water and lemon juice. Cook on medium heat, stirring until fruit softens. Use a potato masher if you like. Add honey and continue to cook until mixture is bubbly and thickens.

Make the arrowroot powder paste with water and gradually stir it into the fruit. Continue stirring until it thickens to a consistency you like. It might take 20 to 30 minutes for it to thicken nicely. Tip: temperature should reach about 200 degrees F.

Pour into clean and hot 1/2 pint jars, leaving a 1/4 inch space at the top. Wipe rims with a clean, damp cloth, and place a lid and ring on top. Tighten ring and turn upside down for about 30 seconds. Flip jars back over and it will seal on its own. After it cools to room temperature it will set a little more.

Store on a shelf or in the fridge. For my first batch, the lids all "popped" within minutes, signaling a tight seal. I'm storing them on the shelf, as I usually do with jams.

You can use this jam as a spread for cakes, for pancakes, bread spread, and even in yogurt with granola in the morning!

Why I Use Arrowroot Instead of Pectin or Cornstarch

You probably know cornstarch as a common thickener, but when it comes to jams, I now reach for arrowroot. It gives jams a clear, glossy finish and a smooth, silky texture that lets the fruit, well, shine through. Plus, it cooks down beautifully and even freezes well.

Tapioca powder is another option. It also creates a glossy look, but the texture is a little more opaque and slightly chewy. That makes it better suited for fruit pies and cobblers or fruit fillings that will be frozen and reheated. For jam, though, where clarity and flavor matter, arrowroot tends to win out.

So there you have it—a simple swap that not only makes your jam healthier but also preserves the pure, bright color and taste of the fruit.

Give it a try and see what you think.

Happy jammin’!

Kodiak Garden Calendar

• Make pickles
• Prepare beds for planting garlic and winter spinach
• Support tall plants
• Allow a few broccoli, kale, or collards to go to seed for our late-season pollinators
• Thin carrots!
• Let calendula go to seed for next year's sowing
• Check potatoes — time to harvest?