Chokecherry Jelly or Jam
Chokecherry jelly or jam is a traditional North American preserve made from the small, tart, dark-red fruit of the chokecherry tree. The fruit is typically cooked down with sugar and often pectin to create a spreadable, jewel-toned condiment with a unique, complex flavor that is both sweet and tangy. It is a beloved foraged food, especially in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain regions of the United States and Canada.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
This is a high-carbohydrate, sugar-based food with negligible fat and protein. Its primary nutritional contribution comes from quick energy (calories from sugar) and it provides small amounts of antioxidants like anthocyanins from the dark fruit skin.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 55 kcal |
| Protein | 0 g |
| Carbs | 14 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Fiber | 0.1 g |
| Sugar | 13.5 g |
| Vitamin C | 1 mg |
| Potassium | 15 mg |
| Manganese | 0.02 mg |
| Iron | 0.1 mg |
| Magnesium | 2 mg |
| Antioxidants (Anthocyanins) | Present |
Per 1 tablespoon (20 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Chokecherry is a foraged, wild-harvested food with deep roots in Indigenous North American cuisines, where the fruit was also traditionally dried into cakes for winter use. The raw fruit contains amygdalin (like apple seeds), which can release cyanide, but this is rendered harmless through cooking and preparation.
