I’m totally hooked on probiotic drinks! I fell hard for kombucha, but it’s out-of-this-world pricey, so I’ll be making my own soon. In the meantime, I’ve found a yummy, easy-on-the-wallet way to drink my probiotics.
For centuries, people all over the world have relied on fermentation to preserve foods (think: kimchi, pickles) [source]. But beyond preserving food, fermentation has the added benefit of providing gut-friendly bacteria [source].
How to Make Probiotic Lemonade with Whey
This is why I tried my hand at making probiotic lemonade, and it turned out delicious! Making your own fermented probiotic drinks at home is game-changing, not only money-wise but also for maintaining a gut-friendly diet routine [source]. While most of the probiotic drinks from the market are partially pasteurized, this probiotic lemonade is natural and packed with live bacteria that will restore your gut health.
When your natural intestinal flora balance is interrupted, it causes problems in your gut and your health. This can happen when you take too many antibiotics, eat lots of processed foods, and a number of different ways. Eating foods rich in probiotics improves digestion and keeps things in check [source].
You can certainly eat plenty of yogurt and take probiotic supplements, but I also like sipping homemade lacto-fermented lemonade. The “lacto” part comes from whey that has been separated from yogurt, which is filled with healthy probiotic cultures [source]. It’s super easy to do!
To make this fermented lemonade, you will use whey as a starter—yes, you can make your own whey at home, and it’s simpler than you think! When you get the whey, all you need to do is combine it with lemon juice, sugar, and water and let the fermentation work its magic for 2 days on the counter at room temperature.
Once you have the whey full of those healthy bacteria, you need to give them something to eat. That’s where the sugar comes in.
You can replace cane sugar with any other favorite sweetener - brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, or even Manuka honey work great. If you decide on using coconut sugar, prepare to get a slightly darker probiotic drink due to the deep brown color of this sweetener.
How to Separate Whey
Whey is the watery, protein-rich liquid left behind when milk is curdled to make cheese. It is also a component of yogurt [source]. The best way to separate whey from yogurt is to strain it through several layers of cheesecloth placed over a fine-mesh sieve. (Not only does this extract the whey, but it also produces a nice, thick yogurt cheese!)
Let the yogurt stand overnight in the fridge to extract as much whey as possible. Use immediately or store in the fridge for about 1 to 2 weeks. (It might last longer, but mine started to look iffy after 2 weeks.) Ideally, you want as much clear whey as possible, but if a little bit of the milky part ends up in the liquid, no biggie.
How Does Fermented Lemonade Taste?
Once the liquid has properly fermented, the sugar will be mostly used up and you’ll be left with a tangy, slightly bubbly drink. It’s not fizzy like soda, but there are some tiny bubbles that you’ll notice.
The flavor is reminiscent of buttermilk but lighter. It’s lightly sweet, which I really like, but if you want it a little sweeter, you could add a little more sugar.
Note: only use fresh lemon juice. The bottled juice has preservatives and other things that will prevent the lemonade from properly fermenting. Any other citrus juice—grapefruit, orange, or lime—could be used instead.
After the initial 2-day room temp fermentation period, the lemonade should be kept in the refrigerator. The flavor supposedly improves the longer it sits in the fridge.
We drink it right away, but it does get a little fizzier after about a week and a half. It is SO good! If you’ve tried other probiotic drinks like Kevita, then you’ll kind of know what this tastes like.
Pretty soon, I’m going to start experimenting with adding other flavors, like ginger and rose.
Have you tried lacto-fermenting at home? What do you think?
Let us know if you try this probiotic lemonade, and don’t forget to tag us #helloglowblog on Instagram so we can see and share it with the community.
📖 Recipe
Print Recipe
Lacto-Fermented Probiotic Lemonade
Easy gut-health restoring lacto-fermented lemonade made with freshly squeezed lemon juice and whey. A great way to drink your probiotics!
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Rest Time48 hours hrs
Total Time48 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Drinks
Keyword: fermented drink, probiotic, probiotic lemonade
Servings: 8
Calories: 31kcal
Author: Lindsey Johnson
Cost: $10
Ingredients
- 6-½ cups filtered water
- ½ cup freshly squeezed organic lemon juice
- ½ cup organic evaporated cane sugar
- ½ cup liquid whey
Instructions
Place all of the ingredients in a large glass jar or pitcher with a tight-fitting lid.
Shake well to dissolve the sugar.
Let stand at room temperature for 2 days, then refrigerate. Tastes best after 1-½ weeks.
Nutrition
Serving: 200ml | Calories: 31kcal
349
FAQs
The basic directions. It's crazy simple. Combine the fruit & herbs, purified water or juice (6-7 cups), sugar (1 cup) and whey (1/2 cup) and refrigerate for a day to let the flavours infuse. You can use any type of jar but make sure that you don't store it air tight as the gasses need to escape.
Is probiotic lemonade good for you? ›
Don't forget about the microbiome benefits, though: Ehsani says probiotics are what turn this lemonade into liquid gold for your gut. “Fermented foods contain live and active cultures that may act as probiotics, which help balance out and keep our gut flora healthy,” Ehsani says.
How do you make fermented probiotics? ›
General rule of thumb is 10–15 g of salt per 1 kg of vegetables or 1 tablespoon of salt per 1 liter of water. 4. Put your vegetables tightly in a jar so there is as little air space as possible. Pour the lukewarm saltwater into a jar and make sure that all vegetables are covered with water.
How to make lacto at home? ›
Summary of a Lacto-Fermentation Recipe
- Cut up the vegetables.
- Add the salt. You can add the salt directly to the vegetables and let them soak (dry salting), or you can make a brine. ...
- Put the vegetables in containers and limit their contact with oxygen. ...
- Leave to ferment on the counter. ...
- Enjoy!
Lacto-fermentation changes the taste of food over time.
A cabbage will not taste at all the same before and after it is fermented into sauerkraut! Fermented foods are salty, sour, tend to have more nuance in the mouth, and become more refined over time. In addition, lacto-fermentation consumes the sugar in the food.
What is the healthiest fermented drink? ›
Kombucha
Kombucha is a fermented tea that's fizzy, tart, and flavorful. It's made from either green or black tea and offers these drinks' potent health-promoting properties. Animal studies suggest that drinking kombucha may help protect the liver from damage caused by exposure to harmful chemicals ( 19 ).
What are the ingredients in probiotic drinks? ›
Cultured Reduced Fat Milk, Water, Sugar, Milk Protein Concentrate, Fructose, Contains Less than 1% of Strawberry Puree, Modified Corn Starch, Agar Agar, Natural Flavor, Citric Acid, Black Carrot Juice Concentrate (For Color), Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate (To Maintain Freshness), Xanthan Gum, Carob Bean Gum.
What are the benefits of fermented lemonade? ›
Lemonade can be a healthy beverage, but it's highly processed and full of sugar most of the time. However, fermented lemonade, also known as lacto-fermented probiotic lemonade, adds probiotics to the drink. The fermentation process also reduces the amount of sugar that's usually found in traditional lemonade.
Is it OK to drink probiotic drinks everyday? ›
A common question about probiotics is whether it is ok to take probiotic supplements every day. Whilst there may be a few exceptions to this rule, the general answer is yes, it's safe, and usually recommended, to take them daily. It's important to understand that probiotics are a natural supplement and not a medicine.
Is it OK to drink probiotics everyday? ›
Some people take a daily probiotic supplement to maintain their general wellness. You might want to do this if you're prone to gut health issues and you notice it helps. A healthy gut microbiome can boost your overall immunity, reduce inflammation and help keep your bowels regular.
Apple cider vinegar is a fermented food, so it does contain bacteria. But there isn't adequate research yet to show whether these bacteria survive digestion. Therefore, although many consider apple cider vinegar is a probiotic food, it is technically not a probiotic.
What is the best fermented food for probiotics? ›
The most common fermented foods that naturally contain probiotics, or have probiotics added to them, include yogurt, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, pickles, miso, tempeh, kimchi, sourdough bread and some cheeses.
What happens when you ferment lemonade? ›
The second ferment causes the mixture to carbonate which makes it more like a soda. To do this simply strain the lemonade and instead of placing it in the fridge, put it in smaller jars with tight-fitting lids. The anaerobic environment causes the fermented liquid to become carbonated.
What are lacto-fermented drinks? ›
Lacto-fermented beverages are naturally fermented through a process of lactic acid bacteria fermentation. The acids naturally present plus the sugars used in the ingredients produce a drink more hydrating than water because of its mineral content.
What do I need to lacto ferment? ›
The simplest method of lacto-fermentation is to submerge a food that naturally contains lactic acid bacteria, such as cabbage or cucumber, into a brine of water and salt. Fermented milk, yogurt, and sourdough may also ferment on their own, but often a starter culture is used to ensure safety and consistency of flavor.
Is apple cider vinegar lacto-fermented? ›
The lactic acid bacteria group, which includes the Lactobacillus species, is one of the most important groups of probiotics. You'll find it in fermented foods like kimchi, kefir, and, yes, ACV.
How to make probiotic soda at home? ›
5 to 1.5 fl oz of ginger bug liquid, 4-5 fl oz of shelf-stable sweetened fruit juice, and fill the rest of the bottle with filtered water, leaving 1" of headroom. Let sit at room temp for 2-3 days, then refrigerate before serving. If you see a bubbly ring forming at the top of your liquid, you know it's working.
