Is Beef Tallow Actually Good for You?
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BEEF TALLOW IS getting lots of attention lately.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nominated to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has said it’s a healthier fat for frying, especially compared to seed oils, like canola and soybean oil. Fast food chain Steak ‘n Shake announced plans to use “100% beef tallow” in its restaurants by February 2025. Wellness influencers are touting the benefits of beef tallow, including when used as skincare.
But are any of these claims about beef tallow true? Experts discuss whether this type of fat is good for you, as well as the health risks and other things to know.
What exactly is beef tallow?
Beef tallow is made by removing the fat from around a cow’s organs. The fat is then simmered; the liquid is removed from connective tissue, and then the solidified fat is collected, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The fat is often used for deep frying because it has a high smoke point, and it was commonly used in the restaurant industry for decades. For instance, McDonald’s fried its french fries in beef tallow until the 1990s, when it switched to vegetable oil. Beef tallow is also sometimes used in candles, soaps, and skincare products.
Beef tallow is solid at room temperature, has a slight beefy flavor, and is comprised mostly of saturated fats. It’s sometimes confused with lard, which is similar but made from pigs and has a softer texture and milder flavor.
Does beef tallow offer health benefits?
There’s not a lot of research on the health status of beef tallow. But its nutrient profile does differ from other saturated fats, like lard, explains Melissa Prest, D.C.N., R.D.N., a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Its various components may have different effects on health. “It contains stearic acid, oleic acid, and conjugated linoleic acid, which have been reported to improve inflammation and may lower bad cholesterol,” she says. “That said, beef tallow contains palmitic acid, which has been linked to increased inflammation.”
Stearic acid is a saturated fatty acid that doesn’t increase your cholesterol like other fats, according to the Mayo Clinic. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a polyunsaturated omega-6 fat that has been linked to potential health benefits, such as keeping plaque from building up in your arteries. CLA may promote heart health, but there’s no evidence that it’s more effective for heart health than other fats.
A research review suggests that oleic acid, a fatty acid, could help regulate your appetite and reduce abdominal fat. Beef tallow, similar to other animal fats, also contains vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, D, K, E, and B12.
However, beef tallow isn’t the only source of these nutrients—and since you’d typically consume only small amounts of beef tallow, you’d also get these nutrients in small quantities. Prest says grass-fed beef, milk and eggs offer more CLA than beef tallow, for example.
In addition to looking at what happens when you consume it, a small study has also shown that beef tallow can be an effective skin moisturizer, but more research is needed on its effect on the skin.
What are the health risks?
Beef tallow is mostly saturated fat, but it also contains monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, sometimes referred to as “good fats,” says Maged Amine, M.D., a cardiologist at Houston Methodist Willowbrook.
Current nutrition guidelines suggest limiting saturated fat to 10 percent or less every day, Prest says.
Consuming beef tallow and other saturated fats could increase your cholesterol levels, says Alice Lichtenstein, D.Sc., senior scientist and leader of the diet and chronic disease prevention directive at Tufts University. It could also increase plaque buildup in your arteries, raising your risk for a heart attack.
“Anyone with heart disease, at risk for heart disease, and high cholesterol should choose fats from plant sources more often than animal sources like beef tallow,” Prest says.
Dr. Amine adds, “We know that some of the substances in beef tallow could be a healthy addition to your diet, but it's not something that I would recommend consuming every day.” But he doesn’t necessarily believe healthy people need to avoid it completely.
What types of fats are healthier?
The American Heart Association suggests limiting saturated fats and consuming more polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, like olive oil, salmon and other fatty fish, avocado, and nuts.
Soybean, canola, and corn oils are healthier options, says Lichtenstein, who doesn't recommend beef tallow. So are flaxseed and walnut oil, Prest adds.
Despite RFK Jr.’s claims that Americans are being “unknowingly poisoned” by them, research suggests that seed oils are safe and healthy. These oils, including canola, corn, cottonseed, grapeseed, soy, rice bran, sunflower, and safflower, contain unsaturated fats and are linked to a lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
The AHA says there’s no reason to avoid seed oils and lots of reasons to make them your fat of choice. There are also no health benefits to replacing oils high in unsaturated fatty acids with beef tallow, Lichtenstein adds.
Should you try beef tallow?
There’s no reason for healthy people to avoid beef tallow and saturated fats altogether, Prest says. “We can still enjoy foods that have saturated fat in smaller quantities.”
But experts don’t necessarily recommend consuming beef tallow, especially in large amounts, or replacing olive oil and other unsaturated fats with it, Dr. Amine says.
“Overall, I would recommend for people to use saturated fats more sparingly than unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that come from plant foods,” Prest adds.
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