The Reasons You Might Want To Drink Buttermilk Straight Up

We all know there are a whole host of very good reasons to incorporate buttermilk into your recipes for the best biscuits, the pancakes of your dreams, and the fluffiest strawberry shortcake (not to mention crispy, perfect fried chicken and creamy mashed potatoes). And while it seems endlessly useful in cooking and baking, are there reasons you might want to drink buttermilk straight? The answer is absolutely, yes. In short: It's tart, refreshing, and seemingly pretty good for you.

Despite the delicious-sounding name, buttermilk isn't butter, nor is it exactly milk. Traditionally, this liquid was the byproduct of churning cream into butter. However, today's widely available buttermilk is mostly fat-free milk fermented with live bacteria (namely lactic acid), which is inoculated in a controlled environment — in some cases, for 16 to 18 hours. This is what gives buttermilk its signature acidic bite. It also contributes qualities in both the flavor and nutrient departments that provide plenty of motivation for making a glass of buttermilk part of your diet. Regardless of whether you opt for the old-school version or the commercially made stuff, there's little doubt that buttermilk is useful for everything from digestion to dehydration.

There's a whole grocery list of potential health benefits associated with buttermilk. Thanks to the probiotics and enzymes that are either added or naturally develop in the process of producing buttermilk, it's a thought to be a fantastic way to aid healthy digestion. While it's low in calories, the protein-rich liquid is sustaining and can possibly improve oral health.

Its high levels of calcium are thought to be beneficial for bones and teeth, while potassium helps reduce blood pressure, according to the CDC. Drinking buttermilk promotes heart health by reducing cholesterol and triglycerides, and a study in Industrial Health found that the dairy drink helps the body retain hydration.

Drinking buttermilk is also a good way for people who have a hard time digesting dairy to get some of the good stuff that comes along with the regular version. That's because the bacteria in buttermilk helps pre-process some of the lactose, which makes it less difficult to digest for those drinkers with an intolerance.

Buttermilk has a delicious flavor all its own, but if you're interested in giving a tasty boost to your glass, there are plenty of ways to spin it. Spices like cumin and coriander, plus cinnamon, ginger, pepper, and salt, and herbs like mint or parsley all pair well with natural buttermilk. Masala chaas, a spiced buttermilk drink popular in India, can incorporate many of these (as well as flavorings like green chilies) and is traditionally served cold as a rejuvenating drink during hot months.

Buttermilk shares some flavor and textural notes with a thin yogurt, and though it's thicker than standard milk, it's still got a viscosity that will bring a round creaminess to any drinking experience. You can transform it into a sustaining smoothie by adding fruit like mangoes, bananas, or berries, along with a sweetener like honey, maple, date syrup, or coconut nectar. Blend up a buttermilk banana bean smoothie for an extra boost of protein and density.

Unlike standard-issue whole milk, buttermilk has a longer shelf life, too, thanks to the inherent lactic acid. Those cultures keep it from spoiling as fast as whole milk. This makes it a convenient ingredient to have on hand, especially if you don't plan to have a glass every day.