The GAPS Diet is a beneficial bacteria restoration diet not only for the gut flora but also for what 90% of our body is made of. Can you believe it? 90% of who we are is made of microbiome! Only 10% is human? Marvelous, is it? So, when they are not happy, we can not be happy. Pretty logical.
Therefore, properly prepared fermented foods, Probiotic Foods we call in the GAPS community, are a significant part of the diet. The properly made sauerkraut is a good example.
Fermented means, in this case, lactic acid fermentation or Lacto-fermented. Lactic acid bacteria prevent decay not only in food products but in our gut as well. Acetylcholine, produced during fermentation, stimulates the peristaltic movement of the intestine. It assists the circulation of the blood and prevents constipation by bowel movements.
Ingredients:
Salt ( Natural Salt) to Cabbage Ratio
1 tsp salt to 1 lb (454g) Cabbage
4tbsp salt to 12 lbs (6kg) Gabbage
Please adjust it for your needs.
Option to add: 1-4 tablespoons whey or Shio-Koji (Please make sure that you do not have an allergy or food intolerance to those probiotic foods.)
For the tools you need, please make sure that all the tools are Squeaky Clean!
- Fermenting pot – you can choose from Maison Jar, stoneware pots, or Harsch crock. The first time I used the Harsch crock, as you can see below, I found a Maison jar easier to use because I could see the fermentation process.
- Bowl
- Shredder (If you want, I will use a kitchen knife.)
Instruction:
Core and shred the cabbage thinly. Put all the ingredients into a big bowl. Mix everything and mush and massage till the cabbage juice comes out. If the cabbage is not juicy enough, add a little water. Adding either whey or shio-koji strengthens the good bacteria and helps the cabbage not to spoil.
Put a weight on the top so the juice covers the entire cabbage completely. You can add some water (make sure they are mixed well together.) If a piece of cabbage is above the juice, the entire pickles have a higher chance of being spoiled. However, during the process, if you find a mold on the surface, you may still rescue the rest of the sauerkraut by skimming and cleaning the molded surface. Then add some salt. Or, if you use either whey or shio-koji as part of the ingredients, you can add whichever you use.
Cover (make sure the mixture can breathe because it needs to release gas.) Keep the jar at room temperature for 1~2 weeks till the cabbages are thoroughly fermented. Using a Maison Jar, you can do this, as shown in the photo below.
If you use stoneware or Harsch crock, move the sauerkraut into a glass jar.
Cover the metal lid and put it into the refrigerator. You can eat them soon. But aging makes it a mild and better taste.
Especially for GAPS people, make sure the sauerkraut is fermented thoroughly.
The juice the fermentation produces is called brine and is excellent for your health. So do not waste. You can keep the juice in a separate glass jar. You can drink just 1 or 2 tablespoons as a remedy when you have bad digestion or are sick. Or you can drink for your forever beauty and youth. And also, in case of severe GAPS, he may not digest the sauerkraut. In this case, please give him a small amount of the brine. Putting into the soup to ease the effect may be a good idea.
While having diarrhea, omit the sauerkraut or the juice. But after the diarrhea stops, reintroduce it.