Moms Aware Logo

Connect With Us

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Watch momsAWARE on YouTube

Share Us With Others

momsAWARE Badge

This content may include affiliate links. Purchases through these links earn us a referral fee at no extra cost to you.

Natural Year Challenge: Food - Month Six

Whey BagMake Whey

Welcome to Month Six of our Natural Year Challenge! As we continue our journey toward healthier food choices, we move from kefir and yogurt to one of their beneficial by-products: whey.

Whey is the liquid portion of milk after the solids have been strained out. It is a complete protein with all of the vital amino acids. When you purchase store-bought yogurt, you will see the liquid whey at the top. When you make your own whey, you ensure the presence of nutrients. Whey powder generally is heated at high temperatures, which damages the protein. Hydrolyzed whey protein in particular contains processed free glutamic acid, which is the harmful component of monosodium glutamate

Whey made from yogurt or kefir offers healthy digestive bacteria. Once you have mastered the art of making your own fermented dairy product, you're ready to tackle whey! (You may also make whey from store-bought yogurt—just be sure to look for one with live active cultures.)


Directions

Place strainer in bowl or large measuring cup. Line strainer with dish towel or cheesecloth. Use up to 4 layers of cheesecloth if it has a large weave. You may also use a cheese straining bag or whey straining bag in place of the strainer, suspended over the bowl or measuring cup.

Spoon yogurt or kefir into strainer or straining bag. Whey will drip into the container below and solids will remain in the strainer.

Leave on counter for 12-36 hours. The longer it sits, the more whey will be produced. Typically 4 cups yogurt or kefir will yield 2 cups whey and 1 cup solids. The solids can be made into yogurt or kefir cheese.

Whey can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 months and may remain at room temperature for up to 6 days.


Uses for Whey

  1. Cultured vegetables. Whey works as a starter for most vegetable ferments, including sauerkraut and kimchi.
  2. Cultured fruit. Whey can be added when fermenting fruit for dehydrated fruit leather or a simple fruit relish.
  3. Cultured condiments. Whey can extend the shelf life of homemade mayonnaise and mustard.
  4. Soaked grains. Soak grains like rice, millet, and quinoa in water with 2 tablespoons of whey for 12-24 hours to remove enzyme inhibitors. For more specifics, see this article.
  5. Lacto-fermented drinks such as beet kvass.
  6. Water replacement in recipes. Add to juices and smoothies for added nutrition. When substituting for water in baked goods, watch for rapid browning due to the high protein content of whey. Monitor the last few minutes of baking time and adjust as needed.
  7. Meat marinade. Combine whey with garlic and spices and pour over meat. This works well with frozen meat.
  8. Whey ice cubes. Pour whey into trays and use 1-2 cubes for smoothies.
  9. Lemon-whey drink. Dilute 1 c. whey with 1 c. water and add juice from 3 lemons.
  10. Personal care products. See our article on The Skin Care Benefits of Whey for more information, including five ways to incorporate whey into your personal care regimen!

Challenge Alert!

Next month we'll tackle our first vegetable ferment. Save a little whey if you can! To prepare, consider purchasing a special jar designed for lacto-fermentation. Online sources include:


In the following video, Andrea demonstrates the bag method of making whey.

Quotes

"I've been living in a mold-infested home for 13 months... I was going CRAZY! Finally figured it out... Just a few days of recovering in a mold-free home and I feel AMAZING!!!"

– Lauren

"In my moldy home if I left the wet clothes in the washer they would get musty very quickly and I'd have to re-wash... Sometimes I'd run a load, go to work, and they'd be musty when I returned that evening."

– Anonymous

"I'm new at this, but today I cleaned my bathroom with baking soda and vinegar. It's much better not having those strong chemical smells afterwards."

– Anonymous

"My daughter started having digestive problems... heart palpitations... coughing episodes... muscle/joint pain... asthma/allergies... Her doctor finally advised me to check for mold in our home."

– Anonymous

"...at age 35 or 36 I started to become allergic to everything, and I got asthma at age 36... I went to doctor after doctor after doctor and was desperate for help, but nobody could help me."

– Mia

"My daughter has had many blood samples taken to test for everything imaginable and her doctor just seems puzzled. Everything comes back normal."

– Anonymous

"My symptoms persisted and eventually turned into lethargy and depression. At the age of 26, I required a nap every evening after work."

– Jennifer

"Both of my sons went downhill quickly and coughed for months... They both lost their ability to read, had profound vision disturbances, and had phenomenal gastric issues."

– Lee

"I have been sick for almost 6 months now and doctors were not able to figure out why. I finally put it all together after going away for vacation for a week and suddenly my symptoms were going away."

– Anonymous

"We were having a lot of health problems and had been to the doctor countless times... we had large circles of slimy greenish-black mold on the bathroom ceiling, where it had caved in a few months before."

– C.

"The entire time we lived in our (mold-infested) house the kitchen sponge would get musty smelling within 3-4 days. It was so strange. I had to buy a pack of sponges nearly every week."

– Anonymous

"I was skeptical at first that these (natural cleaning) products would work, but they work better than the stuff I buy at the store! We will soon be moving to the personal care products as well!"

– Jennifer

"I knew it was mold, but doctors kept telling me I had anxiety. I was sitting in my office and could not remember who I was talking to, or what we were talking about."

– Brenda

"The ERMI mold test as well as your helpful articles and Toxic Talk Tuesday programs have helped us avoid a terrible mistake in purchasing a new home."

– Angela

"We had some water leaks in our home... we never thought we needed to clean out and remove the floor, the ceiling, or the drywall... my two small children and I have remained constantly sick for years in this home."

– Mia

"Our family has been out of our home for 9 months due to mold... I am so scared and weak from all of this. We have lost friends; family members don't understand."

– Anonymous

"I started finding myself sitting on the floor in rooms of my house and not remembering how I got there, what I was doing before, or how long I had been there."

– Brenda

"We all suffered from headaches, hormonal body temperature fluctuations, brain fog, fatigue, difficulty breathing, thrush, rashes, and yeast infections... we vacated our home two weeks ago."

– Anonymous

"I had been struggling with headaches, head fog, breathing difficulties (unable to get a full breath), constant scalp tingling, migraines, nausea, feeling spacey/detached, and severe itchy skin."

– Anonymous

This site is dedicated to a true friend and mother — Barbara Dell Kessel (1929-2009)