Is Fruit Spread Healthy?

The name fruit spread or spreadable fruit may suggest a product that’s sugar-free, but you’d best study the ingredient list before tossing a jar into your shopping cart. Many fruit spreads and spreadable fruit contain cane sugar, and those sweetened with fruit juice extract may be higher in calories than you think.

Jams and fruit spreads overall 1/10. As anyone who’s ever made jam knows, it’s usually made from 50 per cent sugar and 50 per cent fruit which is then boiled and boiled until it thickens and sets. Jam is never going to be completely healthy.

For ease of comparison, let’s take a closer look at the kilojoules and sugar content in a standard 15g serve size which is approximately 3 teaspoons. So, if you only enjoy the odd teaspoon, choosing a fruit spread with refined juice concentrate instead of a jam with added sugar will not make much of a difference to your overall intake.

“Many spreads are mostly combinations of different oils,” says Amy Keating, R.D., nutritionist at CR. “Some have more saturated fat, but others have mostly ‘good’ fats that can be healthy additions to your diet.”