It is a gesture that many people do almost unconsciously: open the lid and pour out the liquid that is on top of the yogurt. But, in reality, it would be necessary to avoid discarding that substance before putting the spoon in. Some people believe that it is a sign that it is in poor condition or that, due to its transport, it has secreted that juice. But it is a component that is beneficial for the body.
This liquid is produced during the manufacturing process of yogurt and other dairy products and is completely normal. It is a protein whey that concentrates many of the benefits of yogurt. Generally, it forms over time, with a slight separation between the solid and liquid parts.
It is true that many people are a little reluctant to take it, despite the fact that it does not have an unpleasant taste, and that is why they eliminate it. A trick to take advantage of its benefits without harming your eyes is to shake the container before opening it so that it mixes with the creamiest part and they form a whole, or stir it with the spoon so that it is unified. The reason for doing this is that this serum has considerable nutritional properties.
Eating it can benefit the bones. The liquid is mainly made up of water, but it also has potassium, as well as proteins, mainly alpha-lactoglobulin and beta-lactoglobulin, with a high biological value. It is also rich in calcium and phosphorus, minerals that are involved in the assimilation of calcium that the body needs, especially for the formation and maintenance of bones. For this reason, it is convenient for children and adolescents and for women, to prevent osteoporosis during menopause.
It is also very beneficial to take it after training or playing sports, as it is an important time to provide vitamins to the body. On the one hand, fast-digesting proteins, such as whey, help activate muscle protein synthesis. In addition, slow-digesting proteins, such as casein, reduce the muscle breakdown process and help regenerate muscle fibers damaged by exercise.
In fact, many athletes take it without even knowing it. This yogurt component is used, once pasteurized and dried, to make food supplements for athletes. Likewise, it is used in the preparation of sausages, in bakery and confectionery, sauces, baby food and beverages, among other products.
Yogurt is made up of a liquid part (whey) and a solid part, which consists of a protein network formed by casein. But, if we mix all the product, it turns out creamier. Greek yogurt, for example, has its whey removed to make it more consistent. This also happens in the production of many fresh cheeses, a fact that has been an inconvenience for the industry by generating large surpluses of this substance. To get an idea, with 10 liters of milk you get 1 kilo of cheese and 9 liters of whey.
In the case of yogurt, it is made by inoculating live bacteria in the milk through incubation, and this encourages their multiplication and their consequent effects, which are acidification and flavor. This phase is critical for the quality of the product and some anomaly, such as excess temperature, can lead to syneresis (the process by which the two compounds in a mixture are separated). This occurs as a consequence of the production of this dairy, and not because the cold chain has been broken or because it is in poor condition.
