Jam sounds like one of the simplest foods in the cupboard. Fruit, sugar and a little lemon should be enough to make it, yet you’ll often find jars can contain sweeteners, colours, flavourings, preservatives and processing aids that make it fall outside of the non-UPF jam category.
But if you are shopping around, you find that UPF-free jam in UK supermarkets is not actually that hard to come by. Several mainstream and own-brand products still use recognisable ingredients such as fruit, sugar, lemon juice and pectin.
My post will help you compare the jars that have straightforward non-UPF jam recipes and explain the ingredients that often cause confusion. It is an ingredient-led assessment rather than an official certification: processing methods are not always disclosed, recipes can change, and there is no universally agreed regulatory definition of an ultra-processed food in the UK, so you will need to decide what you put on your own toast – but hopefully my post can help.
The Best UPF-free Jam in the UK
Is Jam Ultra-Processed?
Jam is not automatically ultra-processed simply because it has been cooked, preserved and sold in a jar.
If you’ve ever made jam, you’ll know that a traditional recipe usually contains:
- Fruit
- Sugar
- Lemon juice or citric acid
- Pectin
Cooking fruit with sugar is a familiar kitchen process. Pectin is a naturally occurring carbohydrate found in fruit and is commonly added to help a preserve set. Citric acid adjusts acidity and performs much the same practical job as lemon juice.
Under an ingredient-led interpretation of NOVA, a jar made from fruit, sugar, pectin, and lemon juice or citric acid is generally seen as non-UPF. Sugar itself is a processed culinary ingredient, but having it in your food does not automatically turn it into an ultra-processed product.
Finding UPF-free jam becomes less straightforward when a jar contains combinations of:
- Artificial sweeteners
- Added flavourings
- Colours used for appearance
- Preservatives
- Modified starch
- Maltodextrin
- Gums used to reproduce a particular texture
- Several processing aids or unfamiliar cosmetic additives
The British Nutrition Foundation’s explanation of ultra-processed foods makes an important point: classification is not always clear-cut, and the nutritional quality of a food should be considered as well as its processing category.
How These Jams Were Chosen
The products I have pulled together below have recipes based predominantly on fruit, sugar or concentrated fruit juice, lemon juice, pectin and familiar acidity regulators.
They do not contain artificial sweeteners, added flavourings, colours, modified starch or conventional preservatives in the ingredient lists checked for this guide.
That does not mean every jar is identical. Some are conventional, sugar-led preserves; others contain more fruit and less total sugar. St Dalfour uses concentrated grape and date juices rather than table sugar, but those concentrates still count as free sugars and do not make the spread sugar-free.
The list concentrates on strawberry and raspberry because they are widely available and make comparisons easier. You’ll find many of the same brands offer other delicious flavours with equally simple non-UPF jam recipes, but each one should be checked separately so you can be sure what you are buying.
Non-UPF Jam at a Glance
| Product | Fruit per 100g | Total sugar per 100g | Recipe highlight | Where to look |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fearne & Rosie Strawberry Jam | 70g | Check current jar | Fruit first; four main ingredients | Ocado |
| Bonne Maman Intense Strawberry Jam | 67g | 41g | More fruit and less sugar than the classic jar | Tesco and Waitrose |
| Tiptree Reduced Sugar Strawberry Jam | 56g | 40g | Traditional ingredients with less sugar | Ocado |
| Duchy Organic Strawberry Extra Jam | 58g | 65g | Fruit, sugar, lemon juice and pectin | Waitrose |
| Waitrose Strawberry Preserve | 55g | 61g | Accessible own-brand option | Waitrose |
| Tiptree Strawberry Conserve | 55g | 67g | Simple traditional conserve | Ocado and Waitrose |
| Bonne Maman Strawberry Conserve | 50g | 60g | Widely available classic recipe | Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose |
| St Dalfour Strawberry Fruit Spread | 51g | Check current jar | Sweetened with grape and date juice concentrates | Sainsbury’s, Ocado and Waitrose |
Prices, pack sizes and stock vary by retailer and delivery area. I’d suggest that you compare the price per 100g rather than the headline jar price, as buying on offer can affect the price you pay per 100g.
Fearne & Rosie Strawberry Jam
Fearne & Rosie Strawberry Jam has one of the highest fruit contents among widely available options. Its current recipe contains:
- Strawberries
- Sugar
- Lemon juice
- Fruit pectin
It is prepared with 70g of fruit per 100g. Fruit appears before sugar in the ingredient list, and there are no sweeteners, colours, flavourings or preservatives listed.
This is a strong UPF-free jam for somebody who wants a fruit-forward jam without replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners. The trade-off is a shorter refrigerated life once opened: the current instructions say to use it within three weeks. But if your household is anything like mine, delicious jam doesn’t stay around long!
The Fearne & Rosie Strawberry Jam listing at Ocado publishes the full recipe and current availability.
Bonne Maman Intense Strawberry Jam
Bonne Maman Intense Strawberry Jam is the lower-sugar member of the range, not the classic gingham-lidded strawberry conserve.
Its current ingredients are:
- Strawberries
- Sugar
- Blackcurrant juice
- Concentrated lemon juice
- Fruit pectins
It is made with 67g of fruit per 100g and contains 41g of total sugar per 100g. The blackcurrant juice helps to deepen the colour and fruit flavour without an added colour or flavouring, which is exactly what you are looking for when shopping for a non-UPF jam.
This is a useful middle ground for shoppers who want a familiar supermarket brand, a short recipe and less sugar than a traditional conserve. Tesco currently lists the Bonne Maman Intense Strawberry Jam, but it is available in other supermarkets too.
Tiptree Reduced Sugar Strawberry Jam
Tiptree Reduced Sugar Strawberry Jam contains:
- Strawberries
- Sugar
- Water
- Citrus pectin
- Citric acid
It is prepared with 56g of fruit per 100g and has 40g of total sugar per 100g. There are no sweeteners, colours, flavourings or preservatives in the current recipe.
That distinction matters. Some reduced-sugar products achieve sweetness or texture by adding sweeteners, gums and other ingredients. Tiptree’s version simply uses a recognisable jam recipe with a lower total sugar content. So if you are looking for a low-sugar, non-UPF jam, this could be the one for you.
It is currently sold by Ocado as Tiptree Reduced Sugar Strawberry Jam.
Duchy Organic Strawberry Extra Jam
Duchy Organic Strawberry Extra Jam is made with:
- Strawberries
- Sugar
- Concentrated lemon juice
- Pectin
The current jar is prepared with 58g of fruit per 100g and contains 65g of total sugar per 100g. This jar of non-UPF jam is exceptionally easy to understand, although it remains a high-sugar spread.
Organic certification does not prove that a product is non-UPF. It concerns how ingredients are produced rather than whether the recipe contains every marker associated with ultra-processing. Here, the simple ingredient list is the thing you should be interested in.
You’ll find that Waitrose currently sells this Duchy Organic Strawberry Extra Jam.
Waitrose Strawberry Preserve
Waitrose Strawberry Preserve offers a relatively affordable own-brand alternative. It contains:
- Sugar
- Strawberries
- Citric acid
- Pectin
It is prepared with 55g of fruit per 100g and contains 61g of total sugar per 100g.
Citric acid may look more industrial than lemon juice on a label, but it is a familiar food acid used to balance flavour, control acidity and support a reliable set. Its presence alone is not a sound reason to classify an otherwise traditional jam as ultra-processed. You do need to make that decision for yourself.
The current recipe is published on the Waitrose Strawberry Preserve product page.
Tiptree Strawberry Conserve
The standard Tiptree Strawberry Conserve contains:
- Sugar
- Strawberries
- Citrus pectin
- Citric acid
It is prepared with 55g of fruit per 100g and contains 67g of total sugar per 100g.
This is a traditional, sweet preserve rather than a reduced-sugar choice. Its advantage is a short recipe with no listed flavouring, colour, preservative or sweetener. It is also made in Essex, which may appeal to readers looking for a long-established British preserve. I can also tell you that we’ve had this one a few times and it’s truly delicious.
Ocado publishes the ingredients for Tiptree Strawberry Conserve.
Bonne Maman Strawberry Conserve
Bonne Maman’s classic Strawberry Conserve contains:
- Strawberries
- Sugar
- Cane sugar
- Concentrated lemon juice
- Fruit pectin
It is prepared with 50g of strawberries per 100g and contains 60g of total sugar per 100g.
You’ll find that this is one of the easiest non-UPF jams to buy in UK supermarkets. It has a familiar home-style recipe, although if you are looking for a higher fruit content or lower sugar level may prefer the Intense version.
The current Bonne Maman Strawberry Conserve listing at Tesco confirms the full ingredient list.
St Dalfour Strawberry Fruit Spread
St Dalfour Strawberry Fruit Spread contains:
- Strawberries at 51%
- Unsweetened grape and date juice concentrates
- Fruit pectin
- Lemon juice
It contains no table sugar, artificial sweetener, colour, flavouring or preservative in the current recipe. That makes it useful for readers who prefer a fruit-juice-sweetened product.
However, “no cane sugar” should not be confused with “low sugar” or “sugar-free”. Concentrated fruit juice is a source of free sugars, and it provides much of the sweetness and preservation function that table sugar performs in an ordinary jam.
The product is technically sold as a fruit spread, partly because names such as “jam” and “extra jam” are reserved descriptions governed by composition rules. Ocado lists the current St Dalfour Strawberry Fruit Spread ingredients.
What About Raspberry Jam? Non-UPF Jam?
You’ll be pleased to know that several of these brands also make UPF-free raspberry jam.
Fearne & Rosie Raspberry Jam contains raspberries, sugar, fruit pectin and lemon juice, with 70g of fruit per 100g. Bonne Maman Raspberry Conserve uses raspberries, sugar, cane sugar, concentrated lemon juice and fruit pectin.
Tiptree Raspberry Reduced Sugar Jam contains raspberries, sugar, water, citrus pectin and citric acid, with 65g of fruit and 40g of total sugar per 100g.
Raspberry seeds divide opinion. A seedless jar is more suitable for smooth sandwiches and cake filling, while a seeded preserve generally retains more of the whole-fruit texture. Check the ingredients independently because seedless and standard versions do not always share exactly the same recipe. I personally don’t mind the seeds, but you may!
Are Pectin and Citric Acid Ultra-Processed?
Not by themselves.
Pectin occurs naturally in apples, citrus fruit and many other fruits. Commercial pectin is extracted and standardised so that a jam sets reliably, especially when the fruit is naturally low in pectin, or the recipe uses less sugar. Strawberry jam, in particular can be hard to set and so will require pectin to make a good jam.
Citric acid occurs naturally in citrus fruit and is also manufactured for consistent use in food. In jam, it adjusts acidity, sharpens the flavour and helps pectin work.
NOVA classification considers a product’s overall formulation and the purpose of its ingredients. Treating every additive name as an automatic UPF verdict can produce misleading results. A four-ingredient fruit preserve containing pectin is very different from a product engineered with sweeteners, colours, flavours and several texture modifiers.
Strict interpretations do vary. If your personal approach excludes isolated or industrially produced ingredients regardless of function, you should choose a jar containing only fruit, sugar and lemon juice, or make a small batch at home. Homemade jam is truly delicious – if you have the time.
Is No-Added-Sugar Jam Better?
Not necessarily, and it is often the part of the shelf that needs the closest label reading.
Traditional jam relies on sugar for sweetness, texture and preservation. Removing much of it can require a different formulation. A no-added-sugar or very-low-sugar product may contain:
- Sorbitol or another polyol
- Sucralose, steviol glycosides or another high-intensity sweetener
- Gums or modified starches
- Preservatives
- Added flavourings
- Bulking ingredients
That may still be useful for somebody managing their sugar intake, but it will probably make your jam fall outside of a non-UPF jam categorisation.
St Dalfour avoids table sugar by using concentrated fruit juices. These remain free sugars. The NHS includes sugars in fruit-juice concentrates within the free-sugar category and advises adults to have no more than 30g of free sugars a day. See the NHS guide to sugar for age-specific guidance.
Does Non-UPF Jam Mean Healthy Jam?
No. “Non-UPF” describes formulation and processing; it does not mean a product is low in sugar or should be eaten without considering portion size.
Many traditional UPF-free jams contain between 60g and 67g of total sugar per 100g. A 15g tablespoon can be around 9g to 10g of sugar. Higher-fruit, reduced-sugar jars can bring that figure down, but they are still sweet foods and as such you should be mindful of how much you are eating of them.
Look at both sides of the question:
- For processing: read the ingredient list.
- For sugar: compare the nutrition panel per 100g and consider the amount normally used.
- For value: compare price per 100g.
- For flavour: check fruit content and whether fruit or sugar appears first.
I always think that a thin layer of a good preserve on toast or stirred into plain yoghurt is more satisfying than a larger amount of a less fruity product.
How to Read a Jam Label
Start with the ingredients rather than front-of-pack phrases such as “natural”, “organic”, “no added sugar”, “reduced sugar” or “made with real fruit”.
Straightforward jam ingredients include:
- Named fruit or fruit purée
- Sugar
- Lemon juice
- Pectin
- Citric acid
- Ascorbic acid
- Named spices, herbs or spirits in flavoured preserves
Ingredients that merit a closer look include:
- Artificial sweeteners
- Added flavourings
- Colours
- Preservatives
- Modified starch
- Maltodextrin
- Several gums or stabilisers
- Vague fruit preparations with a long bracketed recipe
Next, find the statements showing fruit and total sugar per 100g. UK rules require jam labels to provide this information, making comparisons unusually easy. The government’s food composition guidance for jam explains these reserved descriptions and labelling requirements.
Finally, check the storage instructions. High-fruit and lower-sugar jars sometimes need to be eaten much more quickly, because sugar contributes to preservation. You’ll probably need to store these higher fruit jams in the fridge as well.
Easy Homemade Strawberry Jam
I’m a bit of a fan of homemade jam, and we grow a lot of fruit throughout the summer, so we always have a few jars of homemade jam at home. Homemade jam gives you complete control over the recipe. This small batch makes approximately two jars. You can double it up for more.
Ingredients
- 500g strawberries, hulled and halved
- 350g granulated or jam sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Method
- Put two small saucers in the freezer for testing the set later.
- Place the strawberries and lemon juice in a wide, heavy-based saucepan.
- Cook gently for five to eight minutes, crushing some of the fruit with a potato masher.
- Add the sugar and stir over a low heat until every crystal has dissolved.
- Bring the mixture to a vigorous boil and cook for five minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Spoon a little jam onto a chilled saucer, wait 30 seconds and push it with a finger. If the surface wrinkles, it has reached the setting point.
- If it remains runny, boil for another two minutes and test again. Repeat as necessary, avoiding excessive cooking that can dull the fresh-fruit flavour.
- Leave the jam to settle for five minutes, then carefully transfer it into clean, hot, sterilised jars.
- Seal, cool and label the jars with the date.
A jam thermometer is useful for judging when the jam is set; jam usually reaches its setting point at around 104–105°C.
You can buy jam jars and jam jar labels for your homemade jams.
Make sure you sterilise your jars properly, use undamaged lids, follow a trusted preserving method and throw away any jam that develops mould, fermentation, gas, an unusual smell or a failed seal.
Once you open your homemade jam, you’ll want to keep it in the fridge and use a clean spoon or knife each time.
If you grow or pick more fruit than you can use immediately, freezing your fruit is a great idea. My other blog, All That Grows, has a handy guide to freezing blackberries for later use, including for jams and sauces.
Ways to Use Non-UPF Jam
Jam earns its cupboard space well beyond a slice of toast. Try it:
- Swirled through plain yoghurt
- Spoon-fed into porridge after cooking
- Spread inside a Victoria sponge
- Used as the centre of thumbprint biscuits
- Added beneath fresh fruit on pancakes
- Brushed onto warm scones
- Paired with peanut butter in a sandwich
- Whisked with lemon juice into a quick fruit dressing
- Spooned over rice pudding
- Used as a glaze for fruit tarts
It pairs particularly well with my non-UPF bread options and non-UPF peanut butter guide for a quick breakfast or sandwich.
Frequently Asked Questions About Non-UPF Jam
Which Jam Has the Simplest Ingredients?
Fearne & Rosie Strawberry Jam and Duchy Organic Strawberry Extra Jam have especially concise recipes based on fruit, sugar, lemon juice and pectin.
Bonne Maman classic and Intense strawberry jars are also straightforward. Tiptree’s standard and reduced-sugar recipes use citric acid rather than lemon juice, which performs a conventional acidity-control role.
Which Non-UPF Jam Has the Most Fruit?
Among the products compared here, Fearne & Rosie Strawberry Jam has 70g of fruit per 100g. Bonne Maman Intense contains 67g, Duchy Organic contains 58g and Tiptree Reduced Sugar contains 56g.
Check the “prepared with” fruit statement on the label rather than relying on pictures of fruit or words such as “intense”.
Is Bonne Maman Jam Ultra-Processed?
The classic Strawberry Conserve has a short recipe of strawberries, sugar, cane sugar, concentrated lemon juice and fruit pectin. It is consistent with an ingredient-led non-UPF approach.
Bonne Maman makes many different products, so this conclusion should not be applied automatically to every flavour, dessert or spread carrying the brand name.
Is Tiptree Jam Non-UPF?
The standard Strawberry Conserve contains sugar, strawberries, citrus pectin and citric acid. The reduced-sugar strawberry jar adds water but does not currently list a sweetener, flavouring, colour or preservative. Both fit a practical ingredient-led non-UPF approach.
Recipes differ across the range. Check the exact flavour, especially speciality preserves and curds.
Is St Dalfour Jam Sugar-Free?
No. St Dalfour Strawberry Fruit Spread contains no table sugar, but it is sweetened with concentrated grape and date juices. Those concentrates contain free sugars.
It may suit somebody who prefers its particular recipe, but “sweetened only with fruit” does not mean unlimited or sugar-free.
Is Homemade Jam Always Non-UPF?
Jam made at home from fruit, sugar and lemon juice is not ultra-processed under the usual NOVA interpretation. Jam sugar may contain added pectin and sometimes citric acid; both are conventional jam-making ingredients.
Homemade does not automatically mean lower in sugar, and correct sterilising and storage remain essential.
Is Organic Jam Always Non-UPF?
No. Organic certification and UPF classification answer different questions. An organic jam can still contain sweeteners, flavourings or other ingredients that a strict non-UPF shopper avoids.
Duchy Organic Strawberry Extra Jam happens to have a very simple current recipe, but the ingredient list—not the organic badge—is the evidence.
Can Children Eat Jam?
Jam can be included in a varied diet, but it is high in free sugar. The NHS recommends keeping sugary foods and drinks limited and gives lower daily free-sugar maxima for children than for adults.
Whole or mashed fruit provides fibre and nutrients without the concentration of sugar found in jam. For babies under one, sugars should not be added to food or drinks.
Which Non-UPF Jam Is Best?
Fearne & Rosie Strawberry Jam is the strongest fruit-first option, with 70g of fruit per 100g and a recipe of strawberries, sugar, lemon juice and pectin.
You’ll also find that the Bonne Maman Intense and Tiptree Reduced Sugar are smart choices for shoppers seeking less total sugar without artificial sweeteners. Duchy Organic is one of the clearest UPF-free jam recipes, while Waitrose Strawberry Preserve offers a convenient own-brand non-UPF jam.
Bonne Maman classic and Tiptree standard conserve might be the best choice if you prefer a sweeter taste with a traditional set. These ones are probably the easiest to find in the UK supermarkets. St Dalfour is a nice option as it is sweetened with concentrated fruit juices, though it should not be mistaken for a sugar-free jam.
Why not try a couple of the UPF-free jams listed and see which one you prefer.