The next health fad: beef tallow
RFK Jr is touting the health benefits of beef tallow. Many people believe French fries cooked in beef tallow taste better, but healthier? Where did this idea come from?
“Kennedy’s belief that using tallow could help “Make America Healthy Again” echoes a claim that has spread on social media about seed oils. Many believe because seed oils are often found in processed foods, like chips and packaged desserts, animal fats like tallow and butter are healthier.”
But as we know, correlation ≠ causation.
“People are blaming the seed oils when that’s not what’s toxic,” she said. “It’s the sugar and salt in the junk food that they’re using.”
“Compared to tallow, seed oils are thought to be “better fats,” according to Young, because they are unsaturated. Saturated fats, by contrast, generally come from animal products and have been shown to raise cholesterol, which in turn can increase the risk of heart disease.
“Tallow is “probably healthier than ultraprocessed foods high in starch, sugar and salt — but it’s less healthy than olive oil, soybean oil, canola oil or fats from nuts or avocados,” Mozaffarian said.
“Many seed oil skeptics point to a ratio of two types of fatty acids in the oils — omega-6 and omega-3 — which they say is linked to inflammation. But Christopher Gardner, the director of nutrition studies at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, previously told NBC News that levels of particular types of unsaturated fats are a trivial concern when it comes to evaluating how healthy a food item is.”
Both seed oils and tallow are fat. Limiting the calories in the diet that come from fat is a good idea. The source of the fat is not really a problem.
Limiting the amount of information you get from RFK Jr. is probably also a good idea.
Is beef tallow healthier than seed oil?
Probably another big issue is how much do you eat in one sitting or between sitting for a meal. I agree with watching the amounts of fatty substance you take in with a meal.
@Bill,
Yep. As any toxicologist will tell you, the dose makes the poison.
Good morning, Joel (still is by you):
Old saying which applies in an extreme usage of it to this and needs to be revived for other things.
“You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.”
Hi Bill,
To continue on the theme of the post, a healthy diet gets most calories from fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts. Fats/oils are an important dietary component, albeit in modest amounts.
I’m not a fan of medicalizing food. Much of the rice sold in the US, for example, has significant amounts of arsenic. Baked goods have acrylamide, a neurotoxin and carcinogen. Grilled and preserved meats contain known carcinogens. Again, the dose makes the poison.
Driving is risky, too. Again, the dose makes the poison, so avoid unnecessary driving.
In the same vein, occasional consumption of processed foods, high fructose corn syrup and food dyes won’t kill you. Too much sunlight is probably more dangerous. If you are worried about what goes in your mouth, pay attention to dental hygiene–periodontal disease is a risk factor for heart disease and possibly dementia. There are plenty of real health concerns to worry about without sweating trivial stuff.
Joel:
“fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts. Fats/oils are an important dietary component”
All of which we eat. Olive oil and avocado are a part of our diet too. There is always fruit in the house. I like 5 bean salads and salads consisting of romaine and other veggies. Trade off expensive steaks for an easier diet.