Cabbage Tonic: An Easy First Ferment For Babies

This blog is always handwritten from my perspective and my clinical experiences — no AI slop found here!

Cabbage tonic is a “fast ferment” — easy to make and easy to serve to your little one. Cabbage tonic is my go-to recommendation for first probiotic food for FPIES and FPIAP babies I work with but it’s appropriate for all babies because all babies deserve happy little gut buggies!

In a nutshell, you are making sauerkraut with much more water than cabbage so your little one can drink the liquid for its probiotic benefits. You can expect the flavor to taste like diluted sauerkraut juice.

Note: This is method cooking, not recipe cooking.

What do you need?

Organic green or purple cabbage

Salt (I love Redmond’s Real Salt!)

Filtered water

Large bowl

Wide mouth 32oz mason jars with lids

1. Finely chop the cabbage. Be sure to remove the hard core.

2. In a large bowl, add 2 tablespoons of high quality salt to the finely chopped cabbage.

3. Use your hands to firmly “massage” the cabbage. You are using your hands to break down the fibers and release the cabbage’s juices. Continue to massage until the cabbage feels soft and limp in your hands. This might take longer than you anticipate so be patient.

4. Place one cup of cabbage (plus salty juices in the bowl) in each 32oz jar.

5. Fill the jar with filtered water and tightly close the lid.

6. Allow the jars to sit on the counter for 2 days, away from direct sunlight. Unlike many other probiotic foods, you do not need to “burp” the jar every day.

7. Your cabbage tonic is now ready to drink! It is fine to strain the cabbage out of your tonic to make it easier to serve.

8. Store in the refrigerator and serve daily to your little ones!

Microbial and metabolic characterization of organic artisanal sauerkraut fermentation and study of gut health-promoting properties of sauerkraut brine

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36312966/

From phyllosphere to fermentation: Impact of fermentation scale and temperature on sauerkraut fermentation

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40192297/

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I provide clinical lactation care locally in Tallahassee, Florida and via my secure telehealth portal from my screen to yours.  I offer holistic lactation care to you and your baby through the lens of health and wellness with a focus on creating ease and sustainability to reduce stress and bring more joy into raising your little one!