It is well known that fermented foods are extremely healthy and helpful for healthy intestinal flora, and that a significant part of the immune system is located in the gut. Therefore, I often get the question from Gerson patients whether they can ferment during the therapy. Since salt is an integral part of conventional fermentation, eating regualr sauerkraut or kimchi is obviously NOT possible while on Gerson.
However, I have experimented with salt-free fermentation quite a bit and there are easy ways to make delicious fermented vegetables completely without salt.
On the one hand, you can just leave out the salt. However, then the chance of the fermentation going bad increases significantly. The vegetables should be completely submerged in water at all times and not come into contact with oxygen. If you try fermenting this way, it is really important to make sure that the fermented vegetables don't develop a rotten egg smell. If so, you should definitely throw the vegetables in the compost uneaten.
But there is a trick how to make the process much safer and easier! You can add extra the right bacterial strains. After all, with bacteria, the majority gains the upper hand - meaning: a large amount of "good" bacteria, makes it harder for the "bad" bacteria to multiply. Therefore, adding additional bacterial strains makes salt-free fermentation safer.
I use EMs (effective microorganisms) in liquid form for this purpose (by Vitabiosa or Mikroveda, for example). But you can also use common probiotic supplements (like the small packets of Omnibiotic, which are actually intended for your intestinal flora).
I not only ferment my own vegetables, but also produce my own apple cider vinegar and my own oat yogurt. Both are quick and can be used in Gerson therapy as well. But for now, here's a simple recipe for sauerkraut or any other fermented vegetables:
Fermentation recipe
Preparation time:
30 min + 2-8 days fermentation, depending on temperature and season.
Utensils:
knife or mandolin
large glass recipient
probiotic (in powder form) or effective microorganisms (in liquid form)
a small plate to press down vegetables
something to weigh them down (like a stone or a large glass ball for example)
Ingredients:
Vegetables, washed and chopped
pure water
Lactic acid bacteria starter - e.g. a package of Probiotics (Omnibiotic for instance), or 1 shot glass of liquid EMs (ex from Vitabiosa)
Preparation:
Cut the vegetables into strips or cubes. Knead thoroughly.
Place the vegetables tightly into the jar. You can cover them with a cabbage leaf if you like.
Fill with water until the vegetables are completely covered.
Place a small plate on top and weigh it down with a stone or other weight so that the vegetables always remain under water.
Cover with a clean cloth or gauze (to prevent insects from getting in) and place a slightly open lid over it (to allow the gas to escape).
Leave for 2-8 days (do not stir in between!) and then check the taste.
Once the sauerkraut tastes right, it's ready to be eaten! You can store the closed jar in the refrigerator for a long time.
My tip: keep some liquid or finished fermented vegetables and next time you want to ferment, just add them to the fresh vegetables in the jar. This way it will ferment faster, in just 2-3 days.