Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
By Justin Long, Writer at Switch4Good
If beef tallow had an honest ad, it might read like this: “Craving a taste of the 1960s, when heart attacks were en vogue and high blood pressure was the norm? Then let me introduce you to… beef tallow!”
Once a kitchen staple, tallow is staging an epic comeback, fueled by nostalgia, influencer hype, and misinformation disguised as health advice(1). Before you jump on the tallow train, it’s worth a closer look at what it’s really made of.
What Is Beef Tallow?
Beef tallow is pure, rendered beef fat, mostly sourced from the suet around a cow’s kidneys and loins. To make it, the fat is slowly heated to separate the liquid fat from connective tissues, then strained and cooled into a solid, shelf-stable product.
Before the rise of vegetable oils, tallow was used for frying, baking, candle-making, and soap. Because it comes from animals, it’s extremely high in saturated fat.
How Beef Tallow Went from Kitchen Staple to Obscurity
Tallow once dominated American kitchens and fast-food chains. (McDonald’s famously used a beef tallow blend for its French fries.) But as evidence mounted linking saturated fat to heart disease, public health guidelines changed. Consumer habits soon followed.
Vegetable oils became the healthier, more sustainable choice. Over time, tallow faded into the background, until its recent trendy but misleading revival.
Why Beef Tallow Is Trending Again
Beef tallow’s resurgence is fueled by social media charlatans and high-fat, low-carb diet advocates. They market it as a “natural” and “healthier” alternative to seed oils, which they erroneously point to as the primary source of chronic health problems.
However, these claims overlook decades of nutrition studies and misrepresent what science actually shows.
The Truth About Seed Oils and Beef Tallow
Seed oils like canola, sunflower, and soybean have been unfairly demonized in recent years, often blamed for everything from inflammation to chronic disease. While the typical Western diet tends to be heavy on omega-6s and light on omega-3s — an imbalance that can fuel inflammation over time — the oils themselves aren’t the villains they’re made out to be. Overdoing any fat can cause problems, but blaming seed oils for modern health issues is a major oversimplification.
Meanwhile, beef tallow is about 50% saturated fat, which is known to raise LDL cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease(2). Unlike plant oils, tallow lacks the potentially beneficial polyunsaturated fats that help lower inflammation and protect the heart(3)(4).
Healthier Alternatives: What to Use Instead
To help you make informed choices, here is a guide to common seed oils, their best uses, and their smoke points—the temperature at which an oil begins to burn and break down, producing harmful compounds and off flavors. The higher the smoke point, the better the oil handles heat.
| Oil Type | Best Uses | Smoke Point |
| Canola Oil | Baking, sautéing, frying | 400°F (204°C) |
| Sunflower Oil | Frying, roasting | 450°F (232°C) |
| Soybean Oil | Sautéing, salad dressings | 450°F (232°C) |
| Olive Oil | Sautéing, dressings | 375°F (191°C) |
| Avocado Oil | High-heat cooking, frying | 520°F (271°C) |
| Sesame Oil | Stir-frying, drizzling | 350°F (177°C) |
| Coconut Oil | Baking, light sautéing | 350°F (177°C) |
Want to minimize oil altogether? Try sautéing with vegetable broth or water. This method allows for flavorful cooking without relying on added fats. Other techniques like roasting with parchment paper, air frying, or dry sautéing can also reduce the need for excess oil.
Make Science Your Guide
Beef tallow’s retro appeal may be strong, but the science is stronger. Decades of research support choosing unsaturated fats over saturated animal fats to protect your heart and support lasting vitality(5).
Next time you’re in the kitchen, consider healthier oils or alternative cooking methods that nourish your body without the extra risk.
Looking for inspiration? Explore our collection of recipes featuring heart-healthy oils, along with options for oil-free cooking, and discover how to make delicious meals with or without added fats.
Recipe Collections Archives – Switch4Good
Dairy-Free Breakfast Recipes | Switch4Good | Plant-Based Recipes
Dairy-Free Lunch Recipes | Switch4Good | Plant-Based Recipes
Dairy-Free Dinner Recipes | Switch4Good | Plant-Based Recipes
Dairy-Free Dessert Recipes | Switch4Good | Plant-Based Recipes
REFERENCES →
- References:
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- The epidemic of the 20(th) century: coronary heart disease – PubMed.
- Saturated Fat | American Heart Association
- Plant-based fats: Better for the heart than animal fats? – Harvard Health
- Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Their Potential Therapeutic Role in Cardiovascular System Disorders—A Review
- Butter and Plant-Based Oils Intake and Mortality | Cardiology | JAMA Internal Medicine
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