Welcome to the summer of sauerkraut.
Several prominent men in President Donald Trump’s cabinet — including Vice President JD Vance, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick — have been loading up on the fermented food lately in an effort to slim down and improve their gut health, The Wall Street Journal reported.
US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he lost 20 pounds and shed 40% of his visceral fat on his version of the sour meal plan, which he previously told USA Today consists only of “meat or fermented foods.”
According to the Journal, the growing interest in sauerkraut among Trump’s cabinet is all part of a diet strategy from Dr. Sean O’Mara, who encourages his elite clients in business and politics to eat more fermented foods and protein, while shunning sugary treats and alcohol.
Joining in on Sauerkraut Summer could benefit your gut health — as long as you don’t overdo it. Here’s what to know.
Sauerkraut and other fermented foods nourish the gut microbiome
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Fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, and kefir typically contain beneficial microorganisms like live bacteria, the active ingredients that feed off of sugar in raw foods to turn them tangy.
Some of the most common bacteria in fermented foods, such as lactobacillus and bifidobacterium, are considered good for the gut. They aid digestion, help the body produce essential nutrients like vitamins, kill off pathogenic bacteria, and can decrease inflammation.
O’Mara wouldn’t confirm whether he treats any members of the Trump cabinet, citing patient confidentiality, but he told Business Insider that he generally encourages his patients to follow a high-protein, low-carbohydrate, no-junk-food diet, and to “garnish” their plates with some fermented vegetables every day.
Though they’re not a magic wand for weight loss, fermented foods can improve the overall composition of your gut, leading to better blood sugar control, more satiety, and improved nutrient absorption.
Just don’t overdo it — eating too many fermented foods when you’re not used to them can lead to gastrointestinal issues like gas, bloating, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. O’Mara said he encourages his patients to add fermented foods to their daily routine bit by bit.
“Eventually they start colonizing, and eventually they tolerate it, and eventually they like it, and soon they start loving these microbes,” he said.
Other nutrition experts also generally suggest adding more fermented foods into your diet slowly, alongside fiber from nuts, seeds, vegetables, and whole grains, to nurture a healthy, well-balanced gut microbiome.
O’Mara said anyone, whether they’re vegan, paleo, carnivore, or omnivore, can benefit from a “living diet” with daily doses of fermented foods.
Scientists have been studying how the gut microbiome may play an underestimated role in certain diseases. They are uncovering how diets high in ultra-processed foods may foster certain strains of toxic bacteria in the gut that can increase the likelihood of diseases like colon cancer.
