FACTOR-IN/FACTOR-OUT™
We’ve scoured supermarkets and restaurants to find healthy F–Factor™ approved food swaps for high-calorie favorites. Now you can satisfy your cravings without sabotaging your waistline.*
Game 7: Polaner vs. Smucker’s
Jam, jelly, preserves—even those of us with the bare minimum in our refrigerators always have a jar on reserve. And with good reason too. Fruit spreads have a sizable shelf life and can be used in endless ways (like this recipe!). Whether you keep a jar on hand to put jelly on your toast, pack PB&Js for your kids to bring to school, whip up a glazed chicken dish, or have the tendency to eat spoonfuls straight from the jar (promise, no judgments) fruit spreads are a staple in American kitchens. It’s not all fun and games though, this ubiquitously used schmear also happens to be a very sugary one. Grab the wrong jar of jelly and you’re looking at a seriously sticky situation—the kind of situation with more sugar per tablespoon than an entire Krispy Kreme donut, yikes!
With condiment consequences so sticky, a quest for the best was in order. And with subject-pool so vast, some criteria would have to be applied. First, since strawberry ranks among Americans’ favorite fruits, it’s would be the choice flavor up for review in this competition of fruit-based condiments. Additionally, any original version of a product, especially one that comes in an “Easy-To-Squeeze” bottle, is going to make a sugar-free version shine, so to level the playing field only “specialty spreads” (i.e. those boasting additional label-worthy health claims) were considered–we’re all adults here, anyway.
What does that mean? Smucker’s Low Sugar™ line, you’re up to bat against the slightly lesser known Polaner® brand.
While the nutrition for both brands’ strawberry preserves’ are certainly major league, Polaner’s hits it out of the park. Sweetened with Splenda, Polaner’s Sugar-Free with Fiber Strawberry preserves is only 10 calories per serving, meaning each strawberry schmear is a full 15 calories less than a slather of Smucker’s. However, the best part about Polaner’s is that each tablespoon packs in 3g fiber–which does big things when you’re talking net carb. In fact, Polaner’s has just ⅓ the net carbs as a tablespoon of Smucker’s—and 20% the amount of carbs overall! Certified gluten-free and Kosher, Polaner’s Strawberry also tastes and spreads just as easily as the rest (“squeezables” included!). Hall of Fame worthy? We think so! So next time you’re jonsing for jam or pinning for preserves, rest assured we’ve chosen a fruit spread that is 100% F-Factor approved!
TO JOURNAL THIS PRODUCT: Polaner Sugar Free with Fiber Strawberry Preserves – 5g carbohydrate, 3g fiber