This probiotic whey soda is bubbly and effervescent – the perfect gut-healthy drink that comes together easily at home with a few simple ingredients.
Probiotic whey soda is one of the easiest fermented beverages to make. With just a few simple ingredients including delicious fruits sweetener and acid whey, you can create a drink that is full of good bacteria and enzymes.
But before I share this recipe for probiotic whey soda, let me first explain why you need to make it.
The regular soda we know today is full of sugar, caffeine, corn syrup and artificial colors. That’s far from something healthy and very much different from the healthy probiotic soda you can make easily at home.
But how does fruit, sugar and acid whey result in probiotic soda? Starches and sugars in fruit and dairy break down by naturally occurring bacteria and convert into lactic acid.
These changes are remarkably healthy for your body and can aid your body in digestion as well.
Why Probiotic Soda?
This process of converting sugars to lactic acid helps provide your body with probiotics, trace minerals and important enzymes that are in a form that are more usable and absorbable. That fizzy carbonation is a byproduct and hence what gives your whey soda its bubble when you pop open the swing top.
The sodas we are familiar with today are not made with probiotic whey. Instead, they have carbonation that’s mechanically produced, with added colors, artificial flavors and corn syrup.
Unlike regular soda, probiotic soda contains less sugar. Even though you are starting with sugar, the bacteria in the soda feed on and convert that sugar during fermentation.
Plus, there isn’t any artificial colors, carbonation or high fructose corn syrup added.
When you make your own probiotic soda, you can use any type of fresh fruit of your choice.
We started with strawberries and moved on to pineapple, peaches and even blueberries. It’s important to invest in these swing top soda bottles as they do an incredible job to trap the carbon dioxide which helps to increase the carbonation in the final product.
The longer you allow the bottles go (1-2 days or longer) the more fizzy the drink. Just remember though that the pressure builds up fast, so you need to release it each day or you risk the bottles exploding.
The Role of a Starter Culture
There’s no doubt that if you make your own yogurt at home you are left with a lot of whey. That whey left from making homemade yogurt is acid whey. And acid whey works terrific as a starter culture for this probiotic whey soda.
I collect my whey from homemade yogurt and store in a clean milk jug or in canning jars in the fridge. This whey can be used for making rice, as a marinade, making homemade soap, and even this delicious whey soda.
Have you ever thought of making probiotic whey soda? If not, give it a try! This is a great way to use up extra whey, and much easier than making water kefir. Try it with your favorite fruit – blueberries, mango, or even raspberries.
How to Make Probiotic Whey Soda
Ingredients
- 3 C strawberries stem removed, sliced
- 1 C cane sugar organic
- 1 C acid whey
- 4 quarts filtered water
Instructions
- Simmer the strawberries (or fruit of your choice) and sugar in water for 20-30 minutes.
- Cool to room temperature. Strain out the strawberries.
- Transfer the strawberry juice to a gallon glass jar. Add the whey. Cover with a piece of fabric, coffee filter or muslin (rubber band appropriately).
- Allow the mixture to sit for 3 days (72 hours). The longer you allow it to go, the less sweet it will be as the bacteria will feed on the sugars.
- Transfer the soda to your swing top bottles, make sure you allow a few inches of space at the top.
- Keep the soda bottles at room temperature for 1-2 additional days. Check the bottles each day -- open up to allow some of the pressure to escape (do this over the sink!)
- Move the bottles to your refrigerator so slow down fermentation. Serve chilled over ice.
Notes
- Use caution when opening swing top bottles with this probiotic soda. The build up of pressure within the bottles can happen quite fast. I would suggest opening them over the sink very carefully or even outside.
- I always like to place the jars in one side of the sink after bottling. Then I throw a large, clean bath towel on top until they are placed in the refrigerator. I do this as a precaution (I have had bottles explode and it isn't pretty!)
- Should your initial soda mixture in the gallon glass jar develop a film or white spots on the top, don't panic. It's kahm yeast - and it's a sign that things are going in your favor. Stir the mixture each day , or simply skim the yeast off the top.
Did you make this? Please share on IG – make sure you tag us at @RebootedMom so we can see it!
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