Throwing out the water from yogurt containers is a common practice, but is it necessary? The whey, or water, in yogurt is a byproduct of the culturing process that gives yogurt its tangy taste and signature texture. Some people drain their yogurt to achieve a thicker, more concentrated end result. However, the whey is full of nutrients and probiotics that offer health benefits. This article will examine the pros and cons of discarding the whey to help you decide if you should throw it out or keep it.
What is Whey?
Whey is the watery portion that separates from the milk solids when making yogurt, cheese, and other cultured dairy products. It contains a high concentration of vitamins, minerals, and probiotics. Here is a nutritional breakdown of the components commonly found in whey:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Water | 93% |
| Protein | 0.85% |
| Lactose | 4.8% |
| Calcium | 0.4% |
| Phosphorus | 0.33% |
| Vitamin B12 | 48% DV |
| Riboflavin | 34% DV |
| Niacin | 12% DV |
| Probiotics | 1 billion CFU/cup |
As you can see, whey contains a significant amount of water, some protein, vitamins and minerals, and live probiotic cultures. The protein and probiotics are especially valuable components.
Health Benefits of Consuming Whey
Drinking or using whey offers several science-backed health benefits:
High Protein Content
Whey protein contains all 9 essential amino acids and has the highest concentration of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) compared to other protein sources. BCAAs help stimulate muscle protein synthesis, promoting muscle growth and maintenance. Consuming whey protein can help boost strength, increase lean muscle mass, speed recovery, and improve exercise performance.
Probiotics for Gut Health
The live cultures in whey act as probiotics that are beneficial for digestive and gut health. Probiotics support the healthy bacteria in your intestines, improve digestion, enhance immunity, and provide protection against inflammation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and other gastrointestinal issues.
Antioxidants
Whey contains glutathione, one of the body’s most potent antioxidants. Antioxidants help neutralize harmful free radicals and oxidative stress that can lead to chronic disease. Glutathione supports immune function, detoxification, heart health, brain function, and healthy aging.
Vitamins and Minerals
Drinking whey provides a good dose of vitamins like riboflavin, B12, and minerals like calcium and phosphorus. These micronutrients support bone health, energy levels, cell function, and overall nutrition.
Downsides of Discarding Whey
If you routinely throw out whey, you are missing out on all of those nutritional benefits. Here are some specific downsides of discarding the whey instead of consuming or repurposing it:
– Wasted protein – Wheying contains high quality protein that can help you meet daily protein intake goals.
– Lack of probiotics – Probiotics support gut and immune health but are delicate and don’t survive long outside the yogurt or whey.
– Lower nutrient intake – Nutrients like B12, calcium, and antioxidants are depleted by discarding whey.
– Less flavor – Whey provides tang and depth of flavor to yogurt that is lost if you drain it.
– Environmental impact – Pouring whey down the drain wastes food and impacts water waste systems.
Reasons People Drain Whey from Yogurt
If whey is so nutritious, why do so many people drain it? Here are some of the main reasons yogurt-makers remove the whey:
– To create thicker, Greek-style yogurt – Draining the whey produces a thicker consistency closer to Greek yogurt.
– Avoid watery or runny yogurt – Removing whey prevents watery separation in the final yogurt texture.
– Increase protein concentration – With less whey, the protein is more concentrated in the remaining yogurt.
– Accommodate intolerance – Some people have difficulty digesting lactose in whey if they are lactose intolerant.
– Reduce calories/carbs – Eliminating whey slightly reduces calories and carbs if someone is counting macros.
– Dislike taste – Some find the sour, tangy flavor of whey unappealing.
– Unaware of benefits – Many people don’t realize whey offers health perks and blindly discard it.
How to Use Whey
Instead of pouring that nutritious whey down the drain, put it to good use! Here are creative ways to consume whey or incorporate it into recipes:
– Drink it – Drink whey straight up or use it to make smoothies, lattes, or protein shakes.
– Bake with it – Substitute whey for water or milk in baked goods like muffins, waffles, or bread.
– Use in soups – Add a scoop of whey while making creamy soups.
– Marinate meat – Whey makes an excellent marinade tenderizer for meats.
– Include in dressings – Mix with oil, vinegar, herbs and spices to make tangy salad dressings.
– Ferment veggies – Use whey to kickstart fermentation when making sauerkraut or kimchi.
– Fuel workouts – Drink whey before or after a workout to boost protein intake.
– Make ricotta – Heat whey to 195°F and add lemon juice or vinegar to curdle the proteins into ricotta cheese.
Should You Drain Your Yogurt?
Whether you drain the whey or keep it is a personal choice that depends on your goals and preferences:
– Drain if you want thick Greek yogurt texture and higher protein concentration.
– Drain if you strongly dislike the sour taste or watery consistency.
– Drain if you need to restrict calories, carbs or lactose for dietary needs.
– Keep if you want the full flavor, nutritional profile, and probiotic content.
– Keep if you will use the whey in cooking, baking, smoothies or other recipes.
– Keep if you don’t mind a thinner texture and can tolerate the tangy flavor.
Do what works for you! If enjoying the full benefits of whey is important, consider keeping and repurposing it instead of pouring it down the drain. But if a thicker yogurt texture is more important, draining can still produce a nutritious final product.
Conclusion
Whey is a highly nutritious byproduct of making yogurt that is full of protein, probiotics, vitamins and minerals. Throwing whey out wastes those nutrients and misses out on health perks for your gut, immune system, digestion, muscles and more. If possible, keep and consume the whey or find creative ways to incorporate it into smoothies, baked goods, soups and other recipes. However, draining whey to achieve a thicker, Greek-style yogurt may be preferable for some based on flavor and texture preferences or dietary needs. Evaluate your personal goals, lifestyle and intended use of yogurt whey to decide if you should drain it or keep it. Either way, enjoy yogurt’s nutritional offerings and versatility!