RFK Jr, JD Vance and other Trump officials embrace sauerkraut diet to lose weight: Report

WASHINGTON, DC: Trump administration officials looking to lose weight and improve their health have found an unlikely common habit: eating large amounts of sauerkraut.

The fermented cabbage regimen has spread among several of President Donald Trump's most senior advisers. It has reportedly delivered weight-loss results, but also brought what one report described as "sulfurous odors" that have caused friction around the White House.

JD Vance, RFK Jr join sauerkraut push

Vice President JD Vance, Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick are among the administration figures embracing the diet, according to the Wall Street Journal report.

The group is reportedly following guidance from Dr Sean O'Mara, who encourages patients to eat fermented foods such as sauerkraut and kimchi alongside grass-fed steak.

O'Mara also advises avoiding alcohol and sugary foods. Supporters of the regimen say it helps reduce visceral fat and improves digestion.

Kennedy appears to have been one of the earliest converts. According to the report, he adopted the approach about a year ago, while Vance committed to it during Lent and has continued following it.

Kennedy has previously said he lost 20 pounds in 20 days partly through a diet centered on "yogurt, kimchi and sauerkraut," though nutritionists reportedly urged caution about such claims.

Even though Kennedy was "sometimes turned off by the tangy and pungent taste" of sauerkraut, the report said he credited the diet with helping him lose weight and easing aches and pains.

Cabinet officials develop their own routines

The fermented-food trend has become part of the officials' daily routines.

Kennedy's wife, Cheryl Hines, described his dedication during an appearance on Katie Miller's podcast last year.

"He'll hand me a bag of sauerkraut and say, 'Can you put this in your bag?'" Hines recalled. "And I'll say, 'I actually cannot.'"

Robert F Kennedy Jr attends the Latino Wall Street Awards 2024 at Miami Dade College, Wolfson Auditorium on June 08, 2024 in Miami, Florida (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for Latino Wall Street)

Vance has reportedly built entire meals around the diet. The vice president often eats sauerkraut with eggs, pickles and berries for lunch, then pairs it with beef or lamb at dinner.

According to the report, he also snacks on grass-fed beef jerky while traveling aboard Air Force Two and sometimes opts for a bunless hamburger served with fermented vegetables.

Lutnick has taken a more hands-on approach. Rather than buying fermented vegetables, he reportedly makes them himself at home.

Donald Trump's diet remains a separate story

Despite the growing popularity of the regimen among cabinet officials, it remains unclear whether Trump has embraced it himself.

The Wall Street Journal noted that Trump "has at times resisted cutting out unhealthy foods." The report pointed to the president being seen earlier this month eating French fries, pizza and a Diet Coke while attending the NBA Finals in New York City.

During Trump's recent medical examination, White House physician Dr Sean Barbabella said he advised the president to lose weight through increased physical activity and dietary changes.

O'Mara declined to discuss specific patients, but people familiar with the matter told the newspaper that Kennedy, Lutnick and Duffy have all consulted him.

According to the report, a direct consultation with O'Mara costs $18,000, while "optimization plans" at his practice start at $8,000.