Body Ecology

Donna Gates would rather people use a bacterial starter culture since it's easier to ferment when friendly bacteria are introduced at the outset to control pathogens, rather than suppressing them with salt to wait for the friendlies to take hold. The body ecology diet is for sick people with bad digestion; her rules on food combining and yin/yang or push/pull foods prohibit the large amounts of salt in most cultured veggies, especially for women. The problem, of course, is that then you have to BUY the starter culture. And of course, most of us like salty pickles!

If you are having problems with your sauerkraut, I recommend Sandor Katz's Wild Fermentation. It goes more in depth on proper technique and tools you can use than Nourishing Traditions. A basic rule for sauerkraut is 2 Tbsp. Sea Salt (must use Sea Salt ; the bacteria need the minerals in it to grow) per pound of cabbage. Pound it all together to get juicy, then put in your crock making sure to weight it down with a heavy plate or something to keep it submerged and keep the air out.

Happy fermenting!