September brings apple season, and the smell of fall is in the air. It’s not all about “pumpkin spice” this season. The apple has a special place in the fall harvest season and is great for our bodies.

This recipe uses whole apples, which allows the pectin from the skin to be retained in the final jam. In addition to setting the jam, pectin is known to help heal the intestinal membrane, and is useful in helping with chronic illnesses like celiac and Crohn’s disease to minimize stomach pain and close the holes in the intestinal membrane that lead to leaky gut syndrome.

The original recipe for this jam was shared with me by my neighbor, who uses grams most of the time. I have modified it for the spices I like and to substitute the vegetable oil for coconut oil; over the last two years, we have used this recipe alone for all the apple jam we canned.

The old saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” is not wrong. Apples provide nutrients which help with liver function and water to help the body hydrate. You can find fresh local organic apples at many of the U- pick farms and the local farmers market. Make sure to ask where the apples are grown and what method the orchard or farm uses for pest management (conventional sprays, integrated pest management or no intervention).

Yield: approx. 4 jelly jars (½ pint)

2.5 lbs (1100 grams) apples with seeds, chopped into pieces

1 lemon, finely grated zest and juiced

400 gm water

250 gm jam 2:1 sugar packet

1 tsp coconut oil

½ cinnamon stick

2 star anise

30 gm whole cloves

Place apples, lemon juice from ½ of lemon and 1 tsp lemon zest in large pan on stove.

Add water and bring to boil for 10 minutes, then low to medium heat and cook 30 minutes, stirring frequently.

Once cooked, strain through fine mesh or muslin cloth and into large heat proof bowl.

Allow to drain for 3 hours over the bowl and gently squeeze out remaining juice. Leave to cool.

Place reserved apple juice, juice from ½ lemon, jam sugar, oil, cinnamon, star anise and cloves in large pan over stove and cook over medium heat for approximately 12 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently until the jam begins to thicken.

Remove cinnamon stick, star anise and cloves.

Pour jam into warm, clean jelly jars, dividing evenly. Tightly close screw-on, air-tight lids.

Store jam in fridge unless you processed the jars using a warm water bath and current shelf-stable canning methods.

Recipe courtesy of Tiffany Hinton, founder of Cultivating Guts. Connect online at
@iamtiffanyhinton and listen to her podcast, Cultivating Guts, on Spotify or iTunes.