If you’ve ever made jam, you’ll know the recipe usually calls for a lot of sugar. And one of the most common questions I get on my YouTube channel is:

“Can you make this with less sugar, or with a healthier sweetener like honey?”

I was asked this recently on my Pear & Blackberry Jam video, and it reminded me that while sugar is often seen as the “bad guy,” it actually plays a much bigger role in jam-making than just making things sweet. So, let’s take a proper look at what happens when you cut the sugar, and I’ll share how I answered that viewer’s question.

Why Sugar Matters in Jam

Sugar isn’t just there to make your jam sweet — it’s actually doing several important jobs:

Role of Sugar	What It Does
Sweetness	Balances the tartness of fruit and creates that classic jam flavour.
Preservation	Binds with water in the fruit, making it unavailable to microbes, which gives jam a long shelf life.
Texture & Set	Works with pectin and acid to form the gel that makes jam set.
Colour Stability	Helps the jam stay bright and prevents browning over time.

When you reduce sugar, you affect all four of these. That doesn’t mean you can’t make a delicious lower-sugar jam — it just means you have to adjust your method and expectations.

How Much Can You Reduce Sugar?

You can safely reduce sugar in jam — but here’s what to expect:

Sugar Level	Result
100% sugar (traditional recipe)	Firm set, long shelf life (12+ months unopened). I’ve eaten 2+ year old jam and I’m fine!…I think…
50–75% sugar	Softer set, shorter shelf life. Often still workable with added pectin. 60-70% is typically what I use in my recipes
20–50% sugar	Much softer set unless low-sugar pectin is used. Needs refrigeration after opening, 2–6 weeks shelf life.
<20% sugar	Often won’t set without special pectin. Needs fridge storage and quick use. I would only recommend this for individuals with underlying health issues to be able to enjoy a sweet treat!

So Answering THE Question: Can I Use Half Sugar or Honey?

On my Pear & Blackberry Jam video, a viewer asked if they could make the recipe with half sugar or a “healthier” alternative like honey.

Here’s the gist of my reply:

• Yes, you can reduce the sugar or swap it for honey/maple syrup, but…
• Sugar isn’t just sweetness — it’s also preservation + setting power.
• With less sugar, the jam will have more fruit flavour but shorter fridge life (2–6 weeks once opened).
• Below 50% sugar or with honey, you’ll need to add low-sugar pectin (about 12 g / 3 tsp for 4 cups / ~1 kg fruit).
• Honey or maple syrup can usually replace sugar at about a 3:4 ratio.

So for my Pear & Blackberry Jam, you could try:

• 400 g pears
• 800 g blackberries
• 250 ml (1 cup) honey instead of 600 g sugar
• 12 g (3 tsp) low-sugar pectin
• Plus lemon juice and water as in the original recipe.

⚠️ I always make it clear that this is experimental unless you’re following a tested low-sugar recipe. But it’s a fun way to adapt recipes if you don’t mind a softer set and shorter storage time.

Healthier Sweetener Alternatives

Here’s a quick-reference table for common swaps:

Sweetener	How to Use	Pros	Cons
Honey	¾ cup (250 ml) honey ≈ 1 cup (200 g) sugar	Natural flavour, easy to find	Softer set, shorter shelf life
Maple Syrup	¾ cup (250 ml) maple ≈ 1 cup (200 g) sugar	Rich flavour, vegan	Darkens jam, expensive. Noticeable change to flavour profile
Fruit Juice Concentrate	1 cup (240 ml) ≈ 1 cup (200 g) sugar	Mild sweetness, fruity	Less intense sweetness
Stevia / Monk Fruit	To taste (very concentrated)	Very low-calorie	No bulk, must be paired with low-sugar pectin
Erythritol / Xylitol	1:1 with sugar	Lower-calorie, adds bulk	Can crystallise, some don’t tolerate it well

My Takeaway

So yes — you can absolutely make jams with less sugar or healthier sweeteners. But:

• Expect a softer texture and shorter shelf life.
• Always use low-sugar pectin if you go below 50% sugar.
• Make smaller batches and keep them in the fridge.

And if you’re experimenting, don’t be afraid to play around — just be aware you’re trading some shelf stability for that fresher fruit flavour.

👉 I’ll definitely be doing a proper low-sugar jam video on my channel soon, since this comes up so often!