Members of President Donald Trump’s cabinet have recently embraced a new diet centered around fermented cabbage despite the trade-off being “sulfurous odors that have been the cause of some domestic friction” in the White House, according to a report.
Vice President JD Vance, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick are among the senior Trump officials all loading up on sauerkraut in a bid to trim down, according to The Wall Street Journal.
They are reportedly following the advice of Dr. Sean O’Mara, who advises patients to prioritize fermented foods such as sauerkraut and kimchi, along with grass-fed steak. He advises patients to stay away from alcohol and sugary foods, and the diet is said to aid a reduction in visceral fat and support digestion.
Kennedy, who has dabbled in several fad diets over the years, was reportedly the first to convert to the sauerkraut method a year ago, while Vance reportedly committed over Lent but has stuck with it.
The health secretary has previously claimed to have lost 20 pounds in 20 days partly thanks to a diet of yogurt, kimchi and sauerkraut, prompting nutritionists to express caution.
But despite being “sometimes turned off by the tangy and pungent taste” of sauerkraut, Kennedy has credited the diet with weight loss and the easing of aches and pains, according to the newspaper.
The Trump officials each have their own methods of ensuring they get their sauerkraut fix.
Kennedy’s wife, Cheryl Hines, revealed on Katie Miller’s podcast last year that her husband wakes up early every morning to cook steak and eat the fermented cabbage, a staple dish in Germany and Central Europe. “He’ll hand me a bag of sauerkraut and say, ‘Can you put this in your bag?’” Hines said. “And I’ll say, ‘I actually cannot.’”
Vance often eats sauerkraut for lunch, along with eggs, pickles, and berries. For dinner, he will have beef or lamb with sauerkraut, according to the WSJ. The vice president has been known to snack on grass-fed beef jerky aboard Air Force Two, or a hamburger, no bun, with a side of fermented vegetables.
And instead of going to the grocery store, Lutnick reportedly makes his own fermented vegetables at home.
It was not immediately clear whether the president himself is on board with the health regimen. The WSJ noted that Trump “has at times resisted cutting out unhealthy foods,” and cited the president spotted earlier this month at the NBA finals in New York City eating french fries, pizza and his favorite beverage, Diet Coke.
In Trump’s recent medical examination, White House physician Dr. Sean Barbabella said he counseled the president on losing weight by recommending more physical activity and a change in diet.
O’Mara declined to discuss his patients in an interview with the WSJ, but people familiar with the matter told the outlet that Kennedy, Lutnick and Duffy have all seen the doctor. A direct consultation with O’Mara costs $18,000, while “Optimization plans” at his practice begin at $8,000, according to the WSJ.
Read MoreWhy have interest rates stayed the same and what could happen next?
What next for Iran after Trump signs ‘disastrous’ deal to end war with $300bn boost
Man who admitted setting cross on fire in Chicago park is charged with a hate crime
US Supreme Court rules on gun rights for marijuana users
Nato’s Rutte refuses to criticise US over Hegseth attack on allies