Fermented Lemonade for Gut Health: Boost your Biome

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This probiotic drink is made with only whole ingredients, and contains active cultures for a happy gut. We will use liquid whey as our probiotic complex, then allow the fermentation process to multiply the beneficial bacteria.

Unlike many of the powdered mix-ins and gut-health lemonade stick packs out there, this drink is free of artificial colors, natural flavors, and artificial sweeteners. It has none of the bad stuff!

Whether you’re on a gut health journey or just want to support healthy digestion, making this whey lemonade is a great way to start! Keep reading to learn the many benefits of this probiotic drink, and how to make it. 

Fermented Lemonade for Intestinal Health

A healthy gut is dependent on a secure, undamaged gut lining and a balanced gut microbiome. Let’s talk about both of those factors.

 When the gut lining becomes damaged, undigested food particles, toxins, and microbes “leak” into the bloodstream. This is known as leaky gut syndrome, and it triggers inflammation and immune responses.

To reverse this problematic process, nourish the cells that make up the gut lining, called intestinal epithelial cells. One way to support them is by consuming glutamine, an amino acid. Liquid whey is a great addition to this gut-health lemonade and serves as one dietary source of glutamine.

Now let’s talk about the vital intestinal balance of bacteria. Every time you eat, you are affecting the colonies of microbes that live in your gut. Processed foods feed bad bacteria and allow them to thrive. Conversely, eating whole foods that contain dietary fiber and probiotics feed the friendly bacteria.

What you eat determines the balance of microflora in your gut. When the good bacteria outnumber the bad ones, the gut microbiome can maintain overall gut health, slow aging, and influence the onset of various diseases.¹  

The Gut-Brain Axis 

The benefits of a healthy microbiome extend to improving mental health and mood balance. There is a direct link between the GI tract and the brain through the vagus nerve and the enteric nervous system.

This link regulates digestion, influences mood and behavior, and mediates stress responses.² Many of the neurotransmitters needed for mood regulation, cognitive function, and stress resilience are made by the gut microbiome.³

So, if you want to improve your mental health, your overall mood, and your resilience to stress, start with healing the gut. If you don’t know where to start, focus on consuming varying probiotic strains.

An easy way to do that is by making your own yogurt and other fermented foods. This fermented lemonade is the perfect example, and for all its’ benefits, it just might become your favorite beverage!

Antioxidants to Decrease Oxidative Stress and Damage

Free radicals are unstable compounds that change the electron configuration of molecules in your body. The damage they cause leads to oxidative stress. Antioxidants protect your cells by neutralizing the threat of free radicals.

They decrease inflammation, support the immune system, and protect against chronic disease. Lemon juice contains both vitamin C and flavonoids, which are part of the body’s important antioxidant network.

It’s believed that antioxidants work together synergistically, so consuming a variety is beneficial. Apart from their antioxidant function, flavonoids also have an impact on the gut flora. Research has shown that the flavonoids rutin and quercetin inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria.⁴  

Whey Lemonade for Immune Health

A huge part of our immune health is directly related to a healthy balance of gut bacteria. Your immune system is strengthened when the intestinal microbiome is balanced.² Also, probiotics interact directly with immune cells in the gut, and can improve immune function.³ Gut bacteria produce metabolites like short-chain fatty acids which are anti-inflammatory, support immune cells, and can even help strengthen the intestinal barrier. 

Why Make Your Own Fermented Lemonade?

Apart from all the benefits I mentioned above, the fermentation process releases digestive enzymes and other helpful metabolites. You might as well call this recipe “Digestion Lemonade.”

Maybe this all sounds to be true, but eating/drinking a variety of probiotic foods really does improve digestive health and overall health. And you’ll never know if you never try, so give it a shot! Making your own probiotic lemonade will save you money and give you control of the full ingredients list. 

Where Do I Get Whey?

This recipe uses liquid whey as a probiotic source, and as a source of glutamine. Whey is a byproduct of cheese-making and other dairy processes. The easiest way to get some is to strain yogurt. I love to make yogurt in the instant pot, but you can also get whey from storebought yogurt.

If you are buying yogurt from the store, don’t buy Greek yogurt or skyr because they are already strained. Plain organic yogurt will do the trick. If you don’t like the flavor of whey but still want the benefits of this drink, this probiotic sparkling lemonade made with water kefir is the answer!

How to Strain Yogurt to Get Whey

1. Place a bowl on the counter to catch the whey.
2. Prepare 2-4 layers of cheesecloth by placing them in the bowl.
3. Spoon the yogurt into the middle of the cheesecloth layers.
4. Bring the corners together and tie into a knot.
5. Hang the yogurt in the cheesecloth from your cabinets, and let gravity pull out the whey. The bowl should be directly below the hanging cheesecloth.
6. Strain the yogurt until you are happy with the amount of whey removed.
7. Store the whey and yogurt in the fridge, or use immediately for fermenting recipes!

Alternatively, you can purchase a yogurt strainer if you want to keep the yogurt straining for long periods of time. That way, you can keep the yogurt in the fridge while it’s straining. Clearish, yellowish whey will last in the fridge for about a month, while cloudy whey will last for about a week.

How to Make Probiotic Fermented Lemonade

1. Juice your lemons.
2. Add the whey, water, and sugar together, and stir. Then add the lemon juice. ( For the best results, don’t add the lemon juice directly to the liquid whey. The acidity could damage the cultures in the liquid whey.)
3. Pour into a swing-top bottle, and let if ferment for 24-48 hours.
4. As the cultures in the liquid whey break down the sugar, they release CO2. So, after about a day, start burping the bottle every few hours to release the built-up CO2.

It’s really as simple as that! Four ingredients, four steps, and countless health benefits. I will admit that staying on top of burping the swing-top bottle can be a bit tedious. I have definitely gone too long without burping it before, and ended up with a tribute to old faithful in my kitchen.

If you want to take the pressure off of burping the bottle, you can put the lemonade into a large wide mouth jar, then place on a pickle pipe, a plastic lid (loosely), or an airlock. All of these options will allow the extra CO2 to escape without any babysitting on your part.

Gut Health Lemonade Recipe

Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes, and should not be considered medical advice.

Sources

¹ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9786924

² https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38892208/

³https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11901622/

⁴ https://www.thelancet.com/journals/ebiom/article/PIIS2352-3964(19)30371-8/fulltext

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