Whey does not look appealing with its greenish watery color. Not everyone likes its sour taste either. Nevertheless, athletes and even some diet experts swear by whey drinks. Whey is said to be suitable not only for losing weight as part of a diet or as a stand-alone whey cure, but also as a nutrient-rich thirst quencher for active people. But how does such a whey diet work? And what exactly is whey, what ingredients does it contain and is it healthy? Probiotics: 11 probiotic foods
What is whey?
Similar to buttermilk, whey is a byproduct that is produced during the processing of milk. There are two different types of whey: rennet whey (also known as sweet whey) is produced when rennet is added to milk to thicken it to make cheese. Acid whey, on the other hand, is produced during curd production when the milk is treated with lactic acid bacteria. Whey is the liquid that separates from the coagulated protein after the milk has been thickened. Today, thanks to modern production processes, whey is mainly still produced in the manufacture of hard cheese. Pure whey has a greenish to yellowish color, is watery and not exactly appetizing. It also spoils extremely quickly, usually after just a few hours. For this reason, whey is usually offered in stores as a pasteurized drink or as a powdered preparation. Both whey drinks and the powder are often enriched with additional vitamins and nutrients and are offered in a wide variety of flavors. Baked goods also often contain whey powder.
Is whey healthy?
Whey has a decisive advantage over milk, which also plays a role in diets: it is extremely low in calories and fat. The fat content is about 0.2 percent, and for every 100 grams of sweet whey, there are just 25 kilocalories, or 104 kilojoules. At the same time, however, all the important nutrients of milk remain in whey, which is why it contains B vitamins, potassium, calcium, iron and minerals. Overall, however, whey consists of more than 90 percent water and contains about five percent lactose. Whey contains relatively little protein, but very valuable, which can be easily broken down by the human body and thus ensures muscle growth. Due to this whey protein, a whey diet mainly burns fat and not the body’s own protein in muscle tissue. Bodybuilders and athletes therefore also swear by so-called Whey Shakes. Whey can also be helpful for a short time in cases of constipation, as the relatively high proportion of lactose stimulates intestinal activity. In case of lactose intolerance, however, whey should be avoided in any case.
Whey unsuitable for fasting cure
There are special fasting cures for losing weight with whey, in the context of which solid food is completely dispensed with. For this purpose, about one and a half liters of whey are drunk throughout the day. In addition about 400 kilocalories may be taken up over juices, tea and water. Who would like to lose weight with whey, however, should not start a radical whey diet or whey cure, but rather replace only one main meal with a whey drink. Because whey contains relatively few nutrients, it is not suitable as a complete food substitute. A daily whey drink can boost digestion, dehydrate the body and serve as a low-calorie, low-fat substitute for hearty meals. As a result, a whey diet does not promise quick weight loss, but it does promise healthy and lasting weight loss without starvation. Lose weight with whey as a support is absolutely suitable for everyday life, without calculating and calorie counting easy to perform. With different recipes and variations, a whey diet can also be delicious and varied. Overall, however, a permanently healthy diet in addition to exercise should be preferred to the whey diet.
Whey: drinks, shakes and powders
In addition to ready-made whey drinks (whey product) from the refrigerated shelf, whey is usually offered as a powder, which is mixed with a little water. Health food stores also offer partially natural, pasteurized whey. Mixed with some pureed fruit or vegetables, the sour-tasting whey can be used to prepare delicious, healthy shakes. To make the drink a little sweeter, adding honey, milk, buttermilk or yogurt can help. If you like it salty, pureed cucumber, carrot, cress or fresh herbs are the right choice. Whey can also be mixed with tea – green tea has a stimulating effect and makes the drink really healthy.In summer, whey juice cocktails are refreshing. To do this, simply mix whey and orange, cherry or passion fruit juice in a 1:1 ratio, add some lemon juice and mix well. Whey drinks should always be drunk immediately after preparation, as the liquids usually separate quickly and then look unappetizing.
