Several senior officials in President Donald Trump’s administration have reportedly started following a diet that includes large amounts of sauerkraut, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. The officials said to be following the diet include Vice President JD Vance, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
The diet reportedly focuses on eating fermented foods such as sauerkraut and kimchi, along with grass-fed steak, based on advice from doctor Sean O’Mara. O’Mara reportedly advises people to avoid alcohol and sugary foods while following the plan. The doctor believes the diet can help reduce visceral fat, which is fat stored deep around internal organs, and may also support digestion.
Sauerkraut causes White House buzz
The growing popularity of the diet inside Trump’s cabinet has reportedly created one unusual problem ; strong-smelling gas and odors linked to eating large amounts of fermented cabbage, according to the WSJ. The newspaper reported that these “sulfurous odors” have even caused some domestic tension among people following the diet.
Kennedy was reportedly the first major Trump official to adopt the sauerkraut-focused diet about a year ago, according to people familiar with the matter cited by the WSJ. Vance reportedly joined the diet during the Christian season of Lent and has continued following it afterward.
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The health secretary previously claimed he lost about 20 pounds in 20 days through a diet that included yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut, according to earlier statements cited by the report.
Kennedy says diet helped him
Despite that, Kennedy has credited the diet with helping him lose weight and reducing aches and pains. Kennedy’s wife, Cheryl Hines, shared details about his eating habits on a podcast hosted by Katie Miller. JD Vance reportedly eats sauerkraut regularly at lunch along with eggs, pickles, and berries, according to the WSJ. For dinner, Vance often has beef or lamb served with sauerkraut.
Is Donald Trump following it?
Commerce Secretary Lutnick reportedly takes an even more hands-on approach by making his own fermented vegetables at home. It is not clear whether President Donald Trump is following the same diet. During Trump’s latest medical examination, White House physician Sean Barbabella said he advised the president to increase physical activity and improve his diet.
What is a sauerkraut diet?
Sauerkraut is basically cabbage that has been cut and left to ferment. Fermentation is a natural process where good bacteria break down food over time, changing its taste and texture. Experts believe sauerkraut may have first been made in China more than 2,000 years ago, as noted by the Healthline report.
Today, sauerkraut is a popular side dish and condiment in many parts of the world, as per Healthline. Because it is fermented, sauerkraut develops extra nutrients that fresh cabbage does not have in the same amount. It becomes rich in probiotics that is good bacteria and also contains important vitamins.
