Tops Strawberry Jam
Red flags
- −Red flag: High added sugar (66.6g per 100g)
Green flags
- +Green flag: Low sodium
Ingredients, decoded
5 listed- Sugar
- Strawberry Pulp 30%
- Gelling Agent (440)
- Acidity Regulator (330)
- Preservatives (211, 224)
EB4
Our take
CleanPlate reviewMore sugar than strawberry in the jar
Tops Strawberry Jam is sugar and strawberry pulp (30%) set with pectin, with citric acid and the preservatives sodium benzoate and potassium metabisulphite.
CleanPlate scores it EB4. The E for nutrition is low: almost no credited protein, fibre or micronutrients per 100 g. The B for ingredients reflects mostly refined or industrial ingredients (led by sugar and strawberry pulp), with additives that cost points: potassium metabisulphite. The 4 for risk comes mainly from free sugar (66.6 g per 100 g).
Claims vs reality
What the pack says, checked against the ingredient list and nutrition panel.
- Product nameHolds
“Strawberry Jam”
Strawberry pulp is declared at 30%.
- Retail listingPartly true
“Made from the juiciest strawberries”
Pulp is 30% and sugar is the larger share.
How EB4 breaks down
Each grade is scored on its own. Here are the label numbers behind each one, per 100 g.
Very low nutrient density
- Protein
- 0.22 g
- Fibre
- Not declared
- Vitamins and minerals
- None declared
- Energy
- 283 kcal
Scored on protein, fibre and twelve vitamins and minerals, against the Codex and FSSAI "source" and "high" levels, per 100 g and per 100 kcal.
Good, few concerning additives
- Base
- Sugar
- Sweeteners
- Sugar
- Additives
- 4
- Flagged
- None
Scored on how processed the ingredients are, which additives are used and why, and whether the label keeps its promises.
High risk
- Added sugar
- 66.6 g
- Sodium
- 31 mg
- Saturated fat
- 0 g
- Trans fat
- 0 g
Scored on free sugar, sodium, saturated fat and trans fat, each weighed by how strong the evidence of harm is.
A closer look
Does the label add up?
Sugar, strawberry pulp 30%, gelling agent (INS 440 pectin), acidity regulator (INS 330) and preservatives (INS 211, 224).
Per 100 g: 283 kcal, 0 g fat of which 0 g saturated, 68 g sugar of which 66.6 g added, 0.22 g protein, 31 mg sodium.
Ingredients to watch
- Added sugarConcern
66.6 g per 100 g, about 10 g in a 15 g spoonful.
- A sulphite preservativeWorth watching
Potassium metabisulphite (INS 224) can trigger asthma in sensitive people.
- Sodium benzoateWorth watching
A common preservative; no extra concern at the level used.
- Real fruit pulp and pectinFine
30% strawberry pulp, set with pectin and citric acid.
Common misconceptions
Myth: "Fruit jam counts as fruit"
Strawberry pulp is 30%; sugar is the larger share.
Myth: "Jam is fine because it is homemade-style"
The recipe matters less than the sugar: 66.6 g per 100 g.
How often, and how
- Healthy adultsOccasionally
- ChildrenRarely
- Diabetes or prediabetesLimit
Smarter ways to eat it
Thin spread
A thin layer on a slice of whole wheat bread is plenty.
Swap
Mashed fresh strawberries on toast give sweetness and fibre.
Common questions
Is Tops Strawberry Jam healthy?
Tops Strawberry Jam scores EB4 (Poor) on CleanPlate, which makes it best kept as a rare treat rather than a regular buy. The main concerns are: High added sugar (66.6g per 100g). On the plus side: Low sodium.
What does the EB4 score mean?
The first letter (E) grades nutritional value: very low nutrient density. The second letter (B) grades ingredient and label integrity: good, few concerning additives. The number (4) grades risk nutrients (sugar, sodium, saturated fat): high risk.
Last reviewed October 9, 2026. Scored with the CleanPlate method from the published label.