Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
If you have digestive problems, probiotics might be the solution. My husband suffered from gastritis for years. It's like acid reflux, only the acid eats away at the lining of your stomach instead of your throat.
He tried all sorts of supposed remedies, but the thing that finally worked was probiotics. Every day he either takes a probiotic supplement or eats something with lots of probiotics in it such as yogurt or sauerkraut. And now he has something he can drink: probiotic lemonade. His gastritis doesn't flare up anymore, unless he does something stupid like eat a whole pizza.
Probiotics work well because they help the “good” bacteria in your digestive system. They're also great for your heart, they boost your immune system, and they reduce the severity of some allergies, just to name a few benefits.
Want to save this post for later? Click Here to Pin It On Pinterest!
According to Doug and Stacy of the YouTube channel, Off Grid With Doug & Stacy, fermented foods are also a great way to detoxify your body. They can help remove heavy metals and toxins that we're exposed to daily through the air, food, and even skincare products.
As I mentioned, there are probiotic supplements out there, but they're kind of expensive. Besides, it's better to introduce various types of bacteria into your gut rather than take the exact same strains every day. If you do buy probiotic supplements, Stacy recommends switching brands every few months so you're not feeding your gut the same bacterial strains on repeat. Variety is the whole point.
Therefore, a better alternative is to eat foods with probiotics or make yourself some probiotic lemonade. The lemonade is fairly easy to make, and this video explains how. I also typed up the instructions below for those who prefer to read.
A Note on Starting Slowly
Before diving into the recipe, one thing worth mentioning: if you're new to fermented foods and drinks, ease into it. Don't start chugging kombucha by the bottle or eating large servings of fermented vegetables right away.
Some people experience what's called a healing crisis when they first start introducing a lot of fermented foods. They have symptoms like bloating, fatigue, a mild headache, or digestive upset. This is your body detoxifying and adjusting.
Start small. A tablespoon or two of fermented vegetables, or just a small glass of a fermented drink, is a good starting point. See how you feel, and gradually increase from there. Most people find they feel better over time as their gut microbiome adjusts, but going too fast can be uncomfortable.
What You'll Need
Ingredients:
- Juice from 6–8 lemons
- ½ cup of whey
- ½ cup of raw sugar or sucanat
- ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg
- 2 quarts of filtered water
A quick note on ingredients:
Sucanat vs. raw sugar – In the video, she uses sucanat, which is short for “sucre de canne naturel.” It's a minimally processed cane sugar that retains its natural molasses content, making it more mineral-rich than regular white sugar. It gives the lemonade a slightly deeper, richer flavor as it ferments. Raw sugar works fine too.
Filtered water is non-negotiable – Do not use tap water for this recipe. Chlorinated water will interfere with the fermentation process and can kill off the beneficial bacteria before they have a chance to do their thing. Use filtered, purified, or well water.
Dairy-free option – If you don't do dairy, you can substitute water kefir for the whey. It works the same way and will still get your ferment going.
How to Make Whey at Home
Whey is the liquid that separates from yogurt or strained milk, and it's what jumpstarts the fermentation process in this recipe. It's packed with protein and nutrients, and it's easy to make at home. Here are a few methods:
Method 1 (easiest): Place an unbleached coffee filter into a fine mesh strainer or skimmer and set it over a glass jar or bowl. Spoon some plain, full-fat yogurt into the filter. Over the next several hours, the liquid whey will drip down into the jar below. The thicker stuff left behind in the filter is a bonus. It's essentially Greek yogurt or cream cheese, depending on how long you strain it.
Method 2: Line a strainer with a thin cotton cloth or cheesecloth, add your yogurt, and let it drain the same way. For larger batches, tie the cheesecloth into a bundle and hang it over a bowl, letting gravity do the work.
Whey keeps in the refrigerator for a few months, so you can make a larger batch and use it for multiple ferments over time.
If you don't have access to raw milk, don't worry. A good organic, plain, full-fat yogurt from the store works perfectly fine for making whey.
How to Make Probiotic Lemonade
- Combine all ingredients in a large glass jar with a screw-on lid.
- Seal the jar tightly and shake well until the sugar is dissolved and everything is mixed together.
- Place the jar in a dark location at room temperature and let it ferment for 2–3 days.
- Skim off any foam that has risen to the top.
- Seal tightly and refrigerate.
The lemonade will continue to develop flavor the longer it sits in the fridge. The molasses notes from the sucanat and the nutmeg deepen over time. If you can wait a week before cracking it open, it's worth it.
Fermentation timing tip: Warmer environments speed up fermentation, so if your house is warm, check it at the 2-day mark. Cooler temperatures slow things down, so you may want to give it the full 3 days. The closer to 3 days, the more sour and tangy it will taste. If it comes out a bit too sour for your liking, a few drops of liquid stevia can balance it out.
Variations to Try
One of the great things about this recipe is how easy it is to customize. A few ideas:
- Strawberry lemonade – Add fresh strawberry juice along with the lemon juice before fermenting. Strawberries are soft enough to juice easily and they add a nice flavor.
- Berry garnish – If you want to keep the lemonade plain but make it look a little more appealing, toss in some fresh blueberries or raspberries right before serving.
- Raspberry version – Raspberries don't juice as easily as strawberries, so they work better as a garnish at the end rather than incorporated during fermentation.
The basic recipe is delicious on its own, but fermentation is forgiving and fun to experiment with. Don't be afraid to tweak it.
Why Variety Matters
This is something Doug and Stacy hammer home throughout the video, and it's worth repeating: don't get stuck doing the same fermented food or drink every single day. Just like eating the same meals repeatedly can lead to nutritional gaps, relying on the same probiotic source all the time means you're only introducing the same strains of bacteria to your gut.
Mix it up. Rotate between kombucha, fermented vegetables, yogurt, kefir, and drinks like this lemonade. Each one introduces different beneficial microbes, and the more variety you expose your gut to, the more robust your microbiome becomes.
Like this post? Don't Forget to Pin It On Pinterest!
You May Also Like:
