Homemade Yogurt and Whey

One of the great things about making homemade yogurt is having a lot of nutritious whey on hand.  You can use whey to soak whole grains and to make lacto-fermented vegetables.

Whey should not be considered a waste product because it is so valuable.  Many cheese makers throw it out, but it is very useful in the kitchen and has many health benefits.

Sally Fallon says in Nourishing Traditions that, “Modern cheese makers consider whey a waste product, but in earlier times it was used to produce a variety of other fermented foods and beverages”.

I don’t know when whey ceased to be an everyday household item, but if you make homemade yogurt or cheese you will also be producing whey.  Little Miss Muffet enjoyed her curds and whey, but I guess most people don’t do that anymore.

We use our whey for soaking rolled oats to make porridge, for making lacto-fermented veggies and sometimes we add it to smoothies (just a little-it’s tart!).

Here are some more tidbits about whey from Hanna Kroeger of Ageless Remedies from Mother’s Kitchen.

~Whey is such a good helper in your kitchen. It has a lot of minerals. One tablespoon of whey in a little water will help digestion. It is a remedy that will keep your muscles young. It will keep your joints movable and ligaments elastic. When age wants to bend your back, take whey… With stomach ailments, take one tablespoon whey three times daily, this will feed the stomach glands and they will work well again.~