There is a lot to the GAPS diet, but there are three specific foods that act as the pillars on which everything stands. These three foods are the linchpin that make the GAPS diet so successful. I’m going to talk about all three but start with fermented foods.
Fermented foods are almost always a cause for confusion. Unfortunately, most of us did not grow up in homes that ate fermented foods and/or saw our mothers or grandmothers make fermented foods on a regular basis. This is an important skill set we have lost and one that is vastly important to our overall long-term health.
I find that many of my clients, unless they grew up in a different culture (non-American) have little-to-no background knowledge on making fermented foods. Other than growing up eating yogurt and sour cream – the typical 90’s versions of these foods – I was also in this same boat. And when I began the GAPS diet for my son, Raleigh, I was very much building the plane while I was flying it. It took me some time to feel comfortable and confident in my ability to make homemade fermented foods. But once I got the hang of it, I found it to be really pretty simple.
Why Ferments Are Important
Humans have been fermenting food for thousands of years, probably even longer. Fermentation is a way of preserving foods that maintain their “live” status. The beneficial bacteria found in fermented foods is what makes them alive and very beneficial for our gut, and overall health. Fermentation is vastly different from canning. When you consume canned food you are essentially consuming dead food. Whereas, consuming fermented foods is consuming food that is alive. We want to consume these alive foods because they both feed beneficial bacteria and crowd out and control pathogenic bacteria. It is important to strike a balance where the beneficial bacteria are keeping the pathogenic under control. When the pathogenic are in control we begin to experience disease in the body.
Weston A Price in his research in the early 1900’s found some vast differences between what traditional cultures were eating versus how Americans were eating. He found that these differences were affecting the mouth, specifically decay and bone structures of the teeth. One of the foods that he found these cultures were consuming that differed from the typical American diet at that time were fermented foods.
Here are a few additional articles and videos on fermentation if you’re interested.
The uniqueness of the GAPS diet , when compared to all other gut-healing protocols or “diets”, is that GAPS isn’t meant to last forever. Now, you can live on GAPS forever and thrive, but for most people it is meant to have an off ramp. There is an entire section in the book that talks about coming off GAPS. Fermented foods are a key player in helping you get to the healed-enough point to be able to come off GAPS.
To heal the gut we must also change the environment of the gut. The only way to do that is by initiating die-off through the implementation of fermented foods. In GAPS we utilize lacto-fermented vegetables and their brine as well as 24-hour fermented dairy, if tolerated. You can go to the grocery store and find sauerkraut, kimchi and other lacto-fermented vegetables. You can also find yogurt, kefir, sour cream, creme fraiche and the like. But in GAPS we like to make our fermented foods from scratch because they pack more a punch that way.
The sauerkraut, or other lacto-fermented veggies, on the shelf at the grocery store have been pasteurized to some extent. Even the high quality brands. It is just part of the process to get them on the shelves. Likewise, the majority of the fermented dairy found in grocery stores is barely fermented. Here is a good article on that. In order for dairy to be GAPS-legal it must be a 24 hour (minimum) ferment. Most yogurts and kefir found on the shelves has been fermented for one to six hours at best. 24+ hour fermentation insures the lactose is gone. Lactose = sugar. With the sugars gone you get only the beneficial bacteria that can help crowd out the pathogenic bacteria and thus usher in die off. The majority of the dairy on the shelves at the grocery store is just a shell of what fermented dairy could be. It is packed full of sugars and not fermented long enough to be beneficial to us. In fact, it is feeding more of the pathogenic bacteria than anything due to the added sugars and lack of fermentation time.
The potency of homemade fermented foods far outweighs anything found in a store due to no pasteurization and the proper timed fermentation. The only rival I have found is locating a small, Amish or local seller who can assure you their ferments meet the GAPS standard. And if you have this as an option it is a really great option to utilize to free you up to do other things.
The Only Way Out Is Through
One of the most challenging aspects of GAPS is dealing with the die off that comes from consuming fermented foods. It is uncomfortable, often concerning if it is a child, and overall just rough. But the only way out is through. The only way to change the environment of the gut is to go through die off. This process helps the body rid itself of pathogenic bacteria, virus’, protozoa, parasites and more. These things must be brought into the right balance by the beneficial bacteria. Die off is a desert that must be walked.
This is why I consider fermented foods a pillar of the GAPS diet. You cannot do GAPS adequately if you do not consume fermented foods. You also cannot heal to the depth most necessary for deep healing without fermented foods.
The meat stock heals the gut wall – it is the glue. The beneficial bacteria come along and serve as protectors of that gut wall against invaders and things that would make the gut leaky again. They are soldiers and friends. We need them present, ideally a part of every meal, every day.
We are no longer on GAPS but we keep this pillar in our current diet. We try and incorporate fermented foods into every meal. This insures we are feeding our beneficial bacteria. That bacteria then goes to battle for us: protecting the gut lining, putting pathogenic bacteria in it’s place, and so much more.
The optimal diet when you come off of GAPS is the Weston A Price diet. As I previously mentioned, it encourages eating like our ancestors did – the ones who didn’t struggle with autoimmunity, multiple health issues and teeth issues.
Next Steps
Fermenting at home, if you’ve never done it before, tends to intimidate most people. Try to source locally if you have the option. The Weston A Price (WAP) foundation is a great resource. Reach out to your local chapter leader. They are typically great at helping you contact local retailers who may make great, raw, probiotic-rich ferments already. Here is where I’d encourage you to start:
- Go to your local store and see what they have on the refrigerated shelves when it comes to ferments like sauerkraut, kimchi and other lacto-fermented vegetables. Take some time to read the labels. A good store-bought ferment is going to list the veggies and salt only. Vinegar should not be listed. Vinegar does sour things but it does not ferment. I always recommend choosing organic if it is possible because vegetables are highly sprayed with pesticides. You really don’t want to be consuming a fermented item doused in round up if you can avoid it. This is a good place to start if you are new to the ferment game.
- Fermented dairy – You can source kefir grains or yogurt starters from a local WAP chapter member (or from this website) and ferment your own dairy with either raw milk or lightly pasteurized milk. Don’t ever use ultra-pasturized. However, the easiest first step is trying to find a high-quality option at a grocery store. This brand is the only brand of yogurt I’ve found that is a true 24-hour ferment. This is a good option for those on GAPS if they need yogurt immediately. Otherwise, it is a great option in general. When sourcing dairy look for whole milk and plain. The only thing listed on the label should be milk and the cultures used. There is a dairy hack you can use with store-bought dairy to make it full GAPS-legal. You can do this with yogurt, kefir, sour cream or creme fraiche. Be sure the label is only milk and cultures. Choose organic/grass-fed is possible. Bring the dairy home, remove it from the plastic it is in (if possible), and place it into a glass jar with a lid. Set it aside in a corner of the kitchen away from direct light or electrical sockets. Let it sit on the counter for an additional 24 hours and then place it back in the fridge. This will ensure all of the lactose (sugars) have been eaten up and it can be consumed on full GAPS.
- Try to ferment on your own! Here are some great links for simple recipes to try:
- Fermented Garlic
- Ginger Carrots – this is a great option for kids who are not used to ferments.
- Saurkraut
- I also have a lot of video tutorials for ferments on my Instagram.
Start small and slowly work up your amounts. Your gut and body will thank you!