Mother Nature has been generous this year when it comes to berries! I have already had the opportunity to preserve a bunch of red huckleberries, thimbleberries, salmonberries, and my personal favorite - wild black raspberry, aka black cap raspberry, aka rubus leucodermis. I have been a fan of these antioxidant powerhouses for some time, and they make a regular appearance in my protein shakes and oatmeal via this amazing BerriHealth Black Raspberry powder, but imagine my joy at finding loaded wild black raspberry bushes this year! Sure I could have dehydrated them, or froze them... but decided instead to amplify their goodness with some honey and make a beautiful honey-sweetened wild black raspberry jam! Check out this amazingly simple recipe and super-easy way to enjoy black cap raspberries all year long. Oh, and I will pass along the honey-sweetened bread recipe in a future blog post.
What is so special about wild black raspberries?
These are truly a superfruit. Packed with antioxidant polyphenols and anthocyanins. And the taste is floral, delicate and delish! Seriously, eating healthy should not be painful.
Polyphenols or polyphenol-rich diets provide significant protection against the development and progression of many chronic pathological conditions including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular problems, and aging, which is reinforced by this study.
Anthocyanins, not only are they incredible antioxidants and fierce free-radical fighters, and may also offer anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-cancer benefits
Scientific research has shown that black raspberries blocked the growth as well as the development of the breast, prostate, colon, and oral cancer.
They are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and folic acid, minerals such as calcium, selenium, zinc as well as fiber, quercetin, chlorogenic acid, phenolics, and bioactive compounds. WHOA!
But wait... let's talk about honey!
Honey is pretty amazing too! BUT here is the thing, just like with maple syrup, you have to make the investment in good quality organic honey. Fake honey is in the news a lot, but the great news is that your farmers market will likely have a beekeeper with some of this nutritional deliciousness.
High-quality honey contains many important antioxidants. These include organic acids and phenolic compounds like flavonoids.
The anticancer activity of honey is mainly pro-apoptotic and acting on the cell cycle.
It is a delicious healthy alternative to sugar (when it is pure honey and not mixed with a syrup).
Ok, enough of this nutrition talk! Let's make jam!
Wishing you much happy healthy cooking!
Honey Sweetened Black Raspberry Jam
You don't have to seal the jars for shelf storage if you are going to enjoy the jam straight away. However, if you plan to store some to enjoy all throughout the year, the great news is that you can jar this jam with a simple hot water bath.
Ingredients:
4 cups Wild Black Raspberries
5 8-ounce jelly jars
Directions (for straight to the refrigerator):
Clean berries to make sure all leaves/stems are removed.
Place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Turn down to a simmer.
Let simmer until the jam becomes thicker, about 15-20 minutes.
Add in the pectin and stir.
Once the jam is thickened, scrape off any foam that may have formed.
Fill your clean jars. These will keep in the fridge for about a week or two.
Directions (for hot water canning):
Clean berries to make sure all leaves/stems are removed.
Place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Turn down to a simmer.
While the jam is simmering, place clean empty jelly jars in a large pot of water and heat to boiling.
Let simmer until the jam becomes thicker, about 15-20 minutes.
Once the jam is thickened, scrape off any foam that may have formed.
Add in the pectin and stir.
Carefully remove jelly jars from water with tongs
Pour hot jam into hot jelly jars leaving ½” headspace (space from the top of the jar). Use a canning funnel for easier filling.
With a clean damp cloth, wipe the rim of the jelly jars to remove any spilled jam.
Place lid on jar and twist on the ring so it is airtight.
Place the entire jar of jam back in the hot water (enough to cover jars by 1-2”) and boil for 15 minutes.
Remove jars of jam from water and let sit out to cool.
After 24 hours, check lids for a proper seal by pressing on the top center. If it dents in, it has not sealed and will need to be re-boiled, or eaten right away. (I know which I would choose...)
Pro-Tip:
If you wish to eliminate some of the seeds, press half of the berries through a mesh strainer - like this chinois to left. If you do, be sure to measure the puree after straining.
Me? I just leave the seeds in... hey are a source of dietary fiber, essential fatty acids (linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid), and you guessed it... more fantastic antioxidants!
References:
Plant polyphenols as dietary antioxidants in human health and disease: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2835915/
Anthocyanins Inhibit Nuclear Factor-κB Activation in Monocytes and Reduce Plasma Concentrations of Pro-Inflammatory Mediators in Healthy Adults: https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/137/8/1951/4664955
Black raspberries in cancer clinical trials: Past, present and future: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/27594930/
Identification and quantification of antioxidant components of honeys from various floral sources: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12358452/
Honey and cancer: A mechanistic review: https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0261-5614(18)32587-1
From the hive: Honey, a novel weapon against cancer: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S022352341730586X?via%3Dihub
By the way, have you given the Your Killer Life Podcast a listen?
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