Just when I thought we had officially run out of weight-loss trends.

Ozempic. Protein. Creatine. Walking with weighted vests. Intermittent fasting.

Now apparently we need to add sauerkraut to the list.

Vice President JD Vance is noticeably slimmer these days, and when Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy asked him about his weight loss during a White House press briefing, Vance revealed that his diet advice came from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

And yes, sauerkraut is involved.

It Started With Giving Up Sugar

Vance said that before Lent, he was thinking about giving up sugar.

Seems reasonable.

But then he called RFK Jr. for advice.

Kennedy apparently suggested something considerably more intense. Vance described his new way of eating as lots of high-protein foods and a lot of sauerkraut.

His assessment of the results?

“Fat Wednesday never came.”

Vance joked that if you want to lose weight, call Bobby Kennedy — but if you want to enjoy what you eat, maybe don’t.

I laughed.

But then I started wondering:

Is there actually something to this?

First of All, Sauerkraut Is Having a Moment

Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage, and fermented foods have become increasingly popular because of their possible relationship to gut health.

But before we all start buying sauerkraut by the case, there’s an important distinction.

Fermented foods can contain live microorganisms, but that doesn’t automatically mean every jar of sauerkraut qualifies as a probiotic food with scientifically proven health benefits.

And sauerkraut certainly isn’t some magical fat-burning food.

In fact, a 2026 randomized study in healthy adults who ate sauerkraut daily for four weeks found no appreciable overall systemic health benefit, although researchers did observe a small reduction in systolic blood pressure.

So I wouldn’t call sauerkraut the new Ozempic just yet.

The Protein Part Makes More Sense

The more interesting part of Vance’s diet may be the protein.

Protein tends to keep you feeling full longer than rapidly digested carbohydrates. Higher-protein eating patterns may also help preserve lean muscle during weight loss.

That doesn’t mean unlimited steak is suddenly a health food.

The type of protein matters too. Fish, poultry, beans, lentils, nuts and other quality protein sources can all be part of a healthy diet.

And despite what TikTok may tell us, more protein isn’t always better.

And while we’re talking about protein and preserving muscle, creatine has become another huge part of that conversation — especially for women as we age. I recently took a deep dive into whether women should be taking creatine, what it actually does, and whether the hype is justified.

And Then There’s the Sugar

This may actually be the least sexy — and most important — part of the whole story.

Vance originally planned to give up sugar.

Reducing foods loaded with refined sugar and highly processed carbohydrates can mean cutting out a lot of calories without necessarily feeling like you’re eating dramatically less food.

So was it the sauerkraut?

The protein?

The lack of sugar?

Or simply eating differently and consuming fewer calories overall?

Probably some combination of the above.

Would I Try the RFK Jr. Diet?

Here’s where I stand.

More protein? Sure.

Less sugar? Probably something most of us could benefit from.

A little fermented food? Why not.

Living on meat and carrying around a cooler filled with sauerkraut?

I’m not there yet.

And neither, apparently, is Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has publicly joked about Kennedy’s eating habits and said he wasn’t interested in traveling the world with a cooler of sauerkraut.

Finally, something Democrats and Republicans may be able to agree on: that’s a lot of cabbage.

Is This the Anti-Ozempic Diet?

No.

There is no evidence that eating sauerkraut produces anything resembling the effects of GLP-1 medications, and Vance’s personal experience isn’t a clinical trial.

But I do think there’s something interesting buried underneath the funny headline.

We spend so much time looking for the newest weight-loss hack that sometimes the boring stuff gets overlooked:

Eat enough protein.

Cut back on added sugar and highly processed foods.

Eat foods that actually fill you up.

Find something you can stick with.

And apparently, if you really want to take it up a notch, buy some sauerkraut.

Would you try the protein-and-sauerkraut diet? Or have we officially taken the protein obsession too far?

This article is for informational purposes only and isn’t medical advice. Talk with your doctor or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet, particularly if you have a medical condition or take medication.