What’s the Beef with Beef Tallow?
I remember being an undergrad nutrition student in the mid-1980s when Nutrasweet (AKA Aspartame) was developed and revolutionized sugar-free products. It was also when fast food companies were pressured to stop using beef tallow for their fried food.
Between 1940 and 1985, beef tallow (fat) was used for French fries. By 1990, McDonald’s switched from beef tallow to vegetable oil for frying. The types of oils specifically used are non-hydrogenated canola oil and sunflower seed oil. This swap reduced the saturated fat content of the fries while providing a non-animal menu option for vegetarians or vegans.
Now, history is being reversed with RFK Jr’s suggestion to return to beef tallow. His concern is that seed oils pose harm to our health. Seed oils include canola oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, rice bran oil, soybean oil, and sunflower oil. Read more about seed oils here.
Beef Tallow 101
Beef tallow is derived from rendering cattle's fat trimmings and byproducts for beef, particularly the hard, white fat around the kidneys and heart. It is primarily used for cooking and beauty products. It has a high heat melting point, which made it once popular for frying food. Tallow is made of mostly saturated fat, which is solid at room temperature. Beef tallow contains fat-soluble vitamins as well as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Timeline
1940. Tallow was initially blended with vegetable oil and used to improve the taste and texture of McDonald’s fries and other fried foods in the 1940s. Other fast-food companies copied them and used it, too.
1990. Beef tallow use was discontinued in 1990 due to health concerns about animal fats and human health. Research on the impact of saturated fat and heart health dates back to the 1950’s, though the rise of heart disease became a national issue in the 1980’s. The Department of Agriculture advised Americans to reduce high-fat foods, especially those high in saturated fat.(1) Fries were made with hydrogenated vegetable oil, which, unfortunately, produces trans fat in manufacturing. Trans fat raises LDL blood cholesterol while lowering HDL, the good cholesterol.
2015. The FDA eliminated the GRAS status for adding partially hydrogenated oils to food and gave a deadline to eliminated it from food. Companies had to comply with this regulation by 2018. Most fast food restaurants and manufacturers switched to trans-free vegetable shortening for processing. Trans fat is still allowed in foods labeled “zero” if it has .5 gm of trans fat per serving or less. 2
Beef Tallow and Health
Beef tallow (from red meat) contains saturated fat, which has been associated with heart disease and other chronic illnesses in multiple studies. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis of studies indicated that a higher intake of red meat and processed meat is associated with higher rates of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. 3
Beef tallow also contains 19% stearic acid, some monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats, which don’t appear to raise blood cholesterol. Stearic acid has some functions in the body, including energy metabolism and nerve signal conduction. It also provides a calorie source (from triglycerides) in the body. 5 Some research suggests that CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) in beef tallow may aid in weight loss, but studies have been inconclusive in humans. 6
Stearic acid in beef tallow may be linked with colorectal cancer. A 2022 meta-analysis of studies suggest in addition to lifestyle factors such as excess body weight, short sleep, cigarette use, and body fat, blood levels of stearic acid and arachidonic acid (also in beef tallow) were positively associated with increased risk of colorectal cancer. 7
In addition, beef tallow consumption along with sweets, fast food, snack food, fried sweets, jelly, pudding, and butter has also been associated with fatty liver disease according to a 2021 study. 8
Red meat intake has also been linked to higher rates of cancer. In a systematic review and meta-analysis of 148 studies, “high red meat intake was positively associated with risk of breast cancer, endometrial cancer, colorectal cancer, colon cancer, rectal cancer, lung cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma, and high processed meat intake was positively associated with risk of breast, colorectal, colon, rectal, and lung cancers. Higher risk of colorectal, colon, rectal, lung, and renal cell cancers were also observed with high total red and processed meat consumption.”4
Does Tallow Matter in French Fries?
Yes, and no. French fries like other fast or fried foods should only be eaten occasionally. However, Americans already eat more than their share of saturated fat from butter, full-fat dairy products, red meat, processed meat, and fatty cuts of pork. Intake of fried snack foods and ultra-processed desserts are also part of a Western diet.
With heart disease and colorectal cancer on the rise in the US, consuming less beef tallow is best for all. Rates of colon cancer are higher in young adults with fast food intake, red meat, obesity, and physical activity being culprits. An unhealthy diet affects gut bacteria, which may also play a role in the development of colorectal cancer due to inflammation. 9
The bottom line is that whether beef tallow makes a comeback or not, we shouldn’t be eating much fast food anyway. Beef tallow isn’t going to improve our health status, and in some cases, it may just make things worse.
Lisa Andrews, MEd, RD, LD
References:
1. Saturated Fat and Food Intakes of Adults - FSRG Dietary Data Briefs - NCBI Bookshelf
3. Shi W, Huang X, Schooling CM, Zhao JV. Red meat consumption, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Heart J. 2023 Jul 21;44(28):2626-2635. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehad336. PMID: 37264855
4. Farvid MS, Sidahmed E, Spence ND, Mante Angua K, Rosner BA, Barnett JB. Consumption of red meat and processed meat and cancer incidence: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. Eur J Epidemiol. 2021 Sep;36(9):937-951. doi: 10.1007/s10654-021-00741-9. Epub 2021 Aug 29. PMID: 34455534.
6. Efficacy of conjugated linoleic acid for reducing fat mass: a meta-analysis in humans Whgham, Leah D et al. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 85, Issue 5, 1203 – 1211
7. Deng Y, Wang L, Huang J, Ding H, Wong MCS. Associations between potential causal factors and colorectal cancer risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis of Mendelian randomization studies. J Dig Dis. 2022 Aug;23(8-9):435-445. doi: 10.1111/1751-2980.13130. Epub 2022 Nov 20. PMID: 36169182.
8. Yabe Y, Kim T, Oh S, Shida T, Oshida N, Hasegawa N, Okada K, Someya N, Mizokami Y, Shoda J. Relationships of Dietary Habits and Physical Activity Status with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Featuring Advanced Fibrosis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Aug 25;18(17):8918. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18178918. PMID: 34501508; PMCID: PMC8431170.