I hope I've shared enough info and research with you to convince you of the positive health benefits of probiotics like better mental/emotional health, better digestion, increased immunity, production of vitamins in the gut, and their benefits for certain diseases (like Autism, Depression, Anxiety, Parkinsons, C-Diff overgrowth, and MORE!) that researchers are only beginning to scratch the surface of!In our house we do spring for the pricey probiotic capsules, but also try to incorporate probiotic foods into our diet. And at the price of a head of cabbage, some kosher salt, and a clove or 2 of garlic, we're talking less than a buck for the family!
I've made this before and did have photos, but I'm not sure of the recipe I used before, so I went with my Primal Guy, Mark Sisson's recipe.
I love that he had other ingredients in this recipe. Most especially... garlic!!!
Here's the blow by blow:
Start with a fresh head of cabbage. Organic is essential in this process as I found out the hard way. Apparently non-organic kills off the organisms you need to develop. You need to save some outer leaves for later, too. So go with the cleanest.
Next is the chopping. I broke out the Pampered Chef mandolin. I filled my 8 cup bowl very full and you'll be shocked that this fits in the jar, but it does! He recommends salting as you go ...and yes, you really do need all he says. No you won't die of hypertension or sodium toxicity, lacto-fermentation has been around longer than you and me combined. And the not-so-evils of sodium will be discussed on another day--Oi!!
Here's where you defy logic. Packing this into a jar. If you haven't really squeezed the slaw in your bowl well enough, you'll get a second chance. You're actually macerating the vegetables by using the salt to draw out liquid. It takes about 10-15 minutes either way. Anyway you'll be able to use a wooden spoon to both pack the cabbage and to be rough with it some more to work up some liquid. I'm lucky enough to have this cute little antique jar with the clamp lid!
The final step is to fold a couple full sized leaves and press them into the top. In a standard 2 quart jar you'll be able to wedge them under the neck of the jar a bit. Either way you'll need to pile them enough to push the chopped cabbage below the level of the briny liquid. You'll throw the finished leaves away when your kraut is complete.
Clamp that jar shut and you're done! (A screw-on lid works fine too)
Leave this on your counter out of direct sunlight and check it every day or so. I found mine was ready last time a bit on the later side. Not only is the homemade tastier than the store-bought kind (canned has next to nothing... the refrigerated kind may or may not be pasteurized as well) but here are some of the beneficial organism you just made: - Lactococcus lactis subsp lactis -associated with increased immunity
- Lactobacillus brevis-anti-inflammatory benefits to the GI tract
- Lactobacillus plantarum. - associated with: improved IBS symptoms, decreased GI symptoms in chemo patients, decreased cold symptoms, supportive of liver/gallbladder/ GI transit, allergy prevention
- Lactobacillus Bulgaricus- blocks pathogen adhesion thereby increases immunity, and suspected as anti-cancer
- Lactobacillus thermophilus- associated with improvements in: lactose intolerance, constipation, diarrhea, colon cancer, IBS, H. pylori overgrowth/infection.
