Rabeko Zero Jam - Artisanal Diet Jam 55 kcal

What is Rabeko Zero Jam?

Rabeko Zero Jam is a reduced-calorie jam for spreading, whose distinctive feature lies in what replaces the sugar. In a classic jam, sugar makes up half the jar and serves as much to sweeten as to give texture. Here that role is played by polydextrose, a dietary fibre making up 50% of the recipe, backed by pectin as a gelling agent and sucralose for the sweet taste.

The ingredients list is short and identical from one flavour to the next: dietary fibres (polydextrose 50%), the fruit, lemon juice, pectin, sucralose and potassium sorbate as a preservative. The fruit really is there — this is not a flavoured gel — and it is what provides the product's only sugars.

The flavours listed: Strawberry, Raspberry, Apricot, Cherry, Exotic, Forest Fruits, Blueberry and Cranberry. The Dutch brand's full range can be found in the Rabeko section, alongside the zero sauces.

What does a 20 g serving contain?

* Column calculated from the values declared per 100 g, as the manufacturer does not publish a per-serving column. The energy value is given only in kilocalories, with no kilojoule equivalent, and the "saturates" and "protein" lines are expressed as thresholds rather than exact values.

The figure that changes everything is 55 kcal per 100 g. A traditional jam provides around 250, with 50 to 60 g of sugars. Translated onto a slice of toast: you go from a tablespoon at 50 kcal and 11 g of sugars to a tablespoon at 11 kcal and 1 g of sugars. That is what makes a sweet breakfast compatible with a period of restriction, and it is the only argument this product needs.

Two nutrition claims are perfectly well founded here, and we can use them. "High fibre" first: the regulatory threshold is 6 g per 100 g, and the product shows 34. "Low sugars" next: the threshold is 5 g per 100 g, and the product sits exactly there. Let us add that the statement "with no added sugars" must always be accompanied by the wording "contains naturally occurring sugars" — the 5 g come from the fruit, not from an addition.

Those 34 g of fibre deserve a close look, because they have a flip side. A 20 g serving provides 6.8 g of fibre, which on its own is an appreciable share of the recommended daily intake. That is excellent if you are short of it. It is a lot in one go if you are not used to it, and we come back to this below.

How do you use Zero Jam?

Dose: 20 g, or one tablespoon. Liquid: none. Timing: breakfast, snack or dessert. Frequency: 1 to 2 servings a day to stay sensible on the fibre side. Duration: none, it is a food.

Two steps clearly improve the result, and they are little known. Stir the jar before use: the texture of a jam made with pectin and polydextrose is not uniform when left standing. And take it out of the fridge five to ten minutes before spreading it — cold, it is firm and tears the bread.

Beyond toast, it is used anywhere you would put a classic jam: in fromage blanc or plain yoghurt, on pancakes, as a topping for a cheesecake, or folded into home baking. It also sweetens tea or a herbal infusion. One pairing that works particularly well: a spoonful in fromage blanc with a scoop of protein, for a complete dessert at very few calories.

Once opened, keep the jar in the fridge and use it within three weeks. That is shorter than a traditional jam, and it makes sense: sugar is a preservative, and there is practically none here. Close it carefully after each use.

Who is this jam for, and who is it not for?

It suits anyone who wants to keep a sweet breakfast during a calorie deficit, anyone watching their sugar intake, and anyone looking to increase their fibre without thinking about it. The manufacturer declares it gluten free and compatible with vegetarian and vegan diets.

It is not for you if you tolerate large quantities of fibre poorly. That is the product's real limit, and the manufacturer mentions it: a laxative effect is possible in the event of excessive consumption, because of the polydextrose. With 6.8 g of fibre per spoonful, three slices of toast at breakfast can be enough to cause bloating or intestinal discomfort. If irritable bowel syndrome affects you, start with half a serving and see how it goes.

The manufacturer flags possible traces of NUTS, PEANUTS, MILK, SOYA, EGGS and GLUTEN depending on the factory of manufacture, and does not recommend the product for pregnant or breastfeeding women. It advises checking your tolerance the first time you take it — sound advice here.

What not to expect from it. This is not a slimming product: it is a jam that costs less in calories, which is very different. It is only worthwhile if it replaces classic jam, not if it is added to it. Nor is it a medical food, and we will make no claim relating to blood glucose or diabetes: that kind of statement is not permitted on a food product, and any question of the sort is one for your doctor.

Zero jam or peanut butter?

This is the comparison that really arises in front of the breakfast shelf, because these are the two spreads found in most athletes' cupboards. And they play entirely different roles.

Peanut butter provides fats, protein and plenty of calories: reckon on around 600 kcal per 100 g, roughly ten times more than here. It is the better choice when bulking, when you need to push the calorie total up without eating more in volume, or when you want to make a breakfast more filling and more complete in protein terms.

Zero jam is the better choice in the opposite situation, and there it is unbeatable: you want something sweet on your toast without it weighing anything at all on your day. At 11 kcal a spoonful, that is a line you can ignore in your calculations. It also wins on fibre, which peanut butter provides only in small amounts. Nothing stops you doing both on the same slice, incidentally — it is even a classic pairing, and zero jam is a useful stand-in for honey there. The rest of our sweet options can be found in the protein snacks section.

Frequently asked questions

55 kcal per 100 g, how is that possible?

Because the sugar, which makes up half of a classic jam, is here replaced by polydextrose — a dietary fibre with very few calories — and by sucralose, a sweetener used at doses of the order of a milligram. The remaining 5 g of carbohydrate come from the fruit alone. It is a substitution of ingredients, not a labelling sleight of hand.

Does it really contain fruit?

Yes. The fruit appears second in the ingredients list, just after the fibres, and it is what provides the 5 g of sugars per 100 g. Depending on the flavour, that means strawberries, apricots, cherries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries or a mix of berries or exotic fruits.

Can polydextrose cause digestive trouble?

Yes, in significant quantities. The manufacturer carries a statement about a possible laxative effect in the event of excessive consumption. A 20 g serving provides 6.8 g of fibre: that is comfortable, three servings in the same morning much less so. Start with one spoonful and increase if you digest it well.

Can it be cooked or heated?

Yes, it can be folded into home baking or used as a topping. Just be aware that pectin and polydextrose do not behave like sugar when cooked: the texture does not caramelise and the result stays soft. For a tart, add it after baking rather than before.

How long does an opened jar keep?

Three weeks in the fridge, against several months for a classic jam. The difference comes down to sugar: it is sugar that preserves a traditional jam, and there is practically none here. Close the jar properly and do not dip a knife into it that has been used elsewhere.

Is it suitable for people with coeliac disease?

The manufacturer declares the product gluten free, but flags possible traces of gluten depending on the factory of manufacture. If you have confirmed coeliac disease, read the label on the jar you receive and, at the slightest doubt, abstain.

Which flavour should you choose first?

Strawberry and Raspberry are the closest to a classic jam and the most widely liked. Forest Fruits and Blueberry have a sharper profile that works very well in fromage blanc. Cranberry and Exotic are the most distinctive — save those for when you like going off the beaten track.

Where can you buy Rabeko Zero Jam?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe.

With this product, the conversation over the counter at our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, rarely turns on the calories: they speak for themselves. It is more about the texture, which is not that of a sugar-based jam, and about how many jars to take — two different flavours are better than the same one twice when you have never tasted it. The rest of our reduced-calorie products can be found in our weight loss section.