I’ve been following a keto diet / low carb diet for quite some time now, but that doesn’t mean I don’t still crave sugary treats. For me, staying consistent means incorporating sweet, keto-friendly (or low carb) snacks into my diet, which makes sticking to a low carb diet much easier. And one of my secret weapons over the years has been sugar free jelly.
To be clear, when I say jelly I’m talking about the gelatinous dessert (Americans call it Jello!) often consumed in trifle, and not the jelly/jam that is spread on toast. Jelly is light, sweet and low in calories, everything you need when following a low carb or keto diet.
In this article, I’ll talk you through the difference between jelly and sugar free jelly, how to make your own sugar free jelly (from scratch!) and where you can buy low carb jelly in supermarkets in the UK and online. Let’s get started!
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What is the difference between sugar free jelly and regular jelly?
Jelly is really quite a simple dessert. The main ingredient is gelatine, a protein made from animal collagen (vegan-friendly gelatine powder is also available).
The gelatine is dissolved in boiling water and combined with additional flavourings and sugar. This is subsequently poured into a mould and allowed to cool, leading to jelly.
The main difference between sugar free jelly and jelly is well… the sugar. In sugar-free jelly, the sugar is replaced by a low carbohydrate sweetener, such as stevia or erythritol. This gives the jelly the same consistency as the sugar version, but with significantly reduced calories.
Sugar-free jelly tends to have very low calories, as it is only composed of water, a small amount of gelatine and a few grams of sweetener. Per 100g, sugar-free jelly has only around 5-10 kcal and less than 1g net carbs. This means it can fit nicely into your keto diet.
With that cleared up, let’s talk about how you can make your own sugar-free jelly from scratch.
How to make sugar free jelly at home
Making your own sugar free jelly at home is an easy way to customise your jelly dessert, ensuring a low sugar content and a delicious taste. While you can buy jelly packs that simply require the addition of boiling water, I sometimes like to craft things from scratch.
The main ingredient in jelly is gelatine, so you’ll need to get your hands on a good gelatine powder product. I tend to use Mr. P Ingredients, which is an unflavoured beef gelatine (Mr P. also offers an Agar Agar vegan gelatine substitute, which works pretty much the same as the beef version).
Available on Amazon:
– Mr. P Ingredients beef gelatine powder
– Mr. P Ingredients Agar Agar vegan gelatine substitute
– Easy Yummy Agar Agar powder
As beef gelatine is made from collagen, it is composed of protein and therefore has zero carbs. The vegan alternative is instead composed of entirely fibre, making it another suitable option for keto and low carb diets.
You’ll also need to add some flavour to your jelly, without adding any sugar. This is often added through sugar-free fruit juices (such as Robinson’s squash), but you can also buy concentrated, sugar-free flavourings to add to your jelly.
Available on Amazon:
– Galaxy Flavours cherry flavouring
– Foodie Flavours raspberry flavouring
– Foodie Flavours pineapple flavouring
The final ingredient you’ll need is a low carb sweetener. There are many to choose from, but I tend to stick to stevia, erythritol and monk fruit. Depending on how sweet you want your jelly to be, you may not need to add much sweetener. Try adding small amounts at first and then taste to determine if more is required.
For this recipe, I use Pure Via stevia, as it closely resembles sugar, but feel free to use whichever sweetener you prefer.
Sugar free jelly recipe
Sugar-free Jelly
Equipment
- Jelly mould
- Kettle
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Gelatine powder
- 2 Tbsp Sweetener (stevia, erythritol or monkfruit)
- Flavourings
- 500 ml Water
Instructions
- Add 2 tablespoons of unflavoured gelatine powder to a mixing bowl
- Next, add around 100 ml of boiling water and begin to mix until the gelatine powder dissolves
- After dissolving the gelatine, add around 400 – 500 ml of diluted Robinson’s squash to the mixture (you can alternatively add 400 – 500 ml of cool water, and supplement by adding drops of concentrated flavour)
- Add 1 -2 tablespoons of sweetener (add to taste) to add a final touch of sweetness
- Continue to stir until all the ingredients are dissolved into the liquid and then pour into a jelly mould
- Place the jelly mould with the liquid into the fridge for 3-4 hours and all to set (I tend to leave overnight, but 3-4 hours normally does the trick)
- Serve on its own or with low sugar whipped cream
If you’re looking for a good jelly mould, check out the options below. One is your traditional, large, jelly mould, whereas the other option contains smaller individual serving-size containers.
The great thing about making jelly at home is that you can customise it and add your own unique flavours. For example, you can add small pieces of low carb fruits (e.g. berries) into the jelly mix to get a more fruity dessert.
However, if you’d prefer to just buy something from the supermarket, I’ve got a bunch of options for you below.
Where to buy sugar free jelly in UK supermarkets: Tesco, Sainsbury's etc
Thankfully, sugar-free jelly can be found in most UK supermarkets, which came in really handy when I first started on the keto diet. While there are many options available, I’ve only included the ones that I have tried myself and added the relevant links to the company’s website.
Note: I’ve only included certain flavours, but the brands mentioned (e.g. Hartley’s) also supply numerous other flavoured jelly.
Hartley's Mango & Passion Fruit Jelly - 175g
Nutrition per 100g:
Calories: 5 kcal
Fat: <0.5g
Protein: <0.5g
Carbohydrate: <0.5g
Available at: Tesco
Comments:
Mango and passionfruit flavoured jelly, but if I’m being honest, the taste is slightly artificial. I’ve had quite a few over the years, but there are better out there. Contains artificial sweeteners.
Hartley's Sugar Free Strawberry Jelly - 23g
Nutrition per 100g:
Calories: 6 kcal
Fat: <0.5g
Protein: 1.2g
Carbohydrate: <0.5g
Available at: Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose
Comments:
This was my go to jelly when I first started my keto diet. It’s nothing fancy, but will help with sugar cravings. Sweet and gelatinous!
Dessert Menu Raspberry Flavour Jelly 6x125g
Nutrition per 100g:
Calories: 3 kcal
Fat: <0.5g
Protein: <0.5g
Carbohydrate: <0.5g
Available at: Aldi
Comments:
I remember having these jelly pots on occasion. Raspberry flavour was a bit artificial but the texture wasn’t bad. (make sure not to shake too much in transit)
ASDA Low Cal Strawberry Flavour Jelly Pot
Nutrition per 100g:
Calories: <5 kcal
Fat: <0.5g
Protein: 0g
Carbohydrate: <0.5g
Available at: ASDA
Comments:
Asda’s low calorie strawberry jelly is something I continue to eat to this day. The pot size is 175g but contains less than 5 calories. Good flavour and texture.
Where to buy sugar free jelly online UK
Jelly available in the supermarket is great if you have a craving that you want to satisfy right away. However, you can find a much greater selection online. Most of these products come in the form of dried crystals, which require the addition of boiling water. Super convenient and some of them taste great!
Below you can find a list of some of the best options available online, in a variety of flavours.
Wibble sugar free jelly (vegan)
Nutrition per 100g:
Calories: 14 kcal
Fat: <0.5g
Protein: <0.5g
Carbohydrate: 8.5g
Net carbs: 3.5g
Available at: Amazon UK, Ocado and Holland & Barrett
Comments:
Really convenient, single serve packets, containing around 20 kcal per serving. Wibble’s jelly is also vegan and sweetened with stevia and erythritol.
Hartley's strawberry & raspberry sugar free jelly
Nutrition per 100g:
Calories: 14 kcal
Fat: <0.5g
Protein: <0.5g
Carbohydrate: 8.5g
Net carbs: 3.5g
Available at: Amazon UK
Comments:
Similar to the Hartley’s jelly available in the supermarket, this Hartley’s powdered jelly just needs boiling water to be added.
Simply Delish sugar free jelly
Nutrition per serving (5g):
Calories: 100 kcal
Fat: <0.5g
Protein: <0.5g
Carbohydrate: 80g
Net carbs: 0g
Available at: Amazon UK
Comments:
When looking at the nutritional breakdown of dried jelly powder, it’s more important to take into account the nutrition per serving. Per serving, this contains 0g net carbs and is keto certified.
JELL-O JELLO Sugar Free Strawberry Jelly Mix
Nutrition per 100g:
Calories: 10 kcal
Fat: <0.5g
Protein: 1g
Carbohydrate: <0.5g
Net carbs: 0g
Available at: Amazon UK
Comments:
Tastes really good and super simple to make. Only caveat is it’s sweetened with the artificial sweetener, aspartame.
It’s worth noting that these are just a selection of the flavours available. I tend to stick to strawberry and raspberry, with the occasional mango thrown in the mix, as the other flavours can sometimes taste a bit too artificial.
If you’ve come across any great sugar-free jelly options suitable for keto or low carb diets, please let me know and I’ll add to the list!
