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The Trend Towards Tallow

  • Writer: FibonacciMD
    FibonacciMD
  • 1 day ago
  • 5 min read

Is Beef Tallow a Healthy Cooking Fat or Just the Latest Food Trend?

Culinary Medicine


tallow trend

For centuries, people have cooked with tallow. The use of this animal fat in American kitchens began to decline early in the 20th century when inexpensive vegetable oils and shortenings became available.[1] In the 1950s, when the “diet-heart hypothesis” suggested that the high saturated fat content of animal fats increased the risk of heart disease, the use of tallow and other animal fats further declined.[2] Today however, tallow is making a comeback.  Advocates of tallow contend that it is a healthy, natural cooking fat, while traditional nutritional recommendations caution that its high saturated fat content may override any potential advantages. Should you switch to tallow or stick with vegetable oils? 


What is Tallow?

Tallow is fat rendered from the tissues, mostly those that surround the internal organs, of ruminant animals such as cows, sheep, and goats. The rendering process slowly heats the fat and then strains it to remove leftover tissue, producing a product that is solid at room temperature.[3] Beef tallow is commonly used in frying, roasting, and even baking. 

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Tallow Nutrition

Nutritionally, beef tallow is primarily fat; it contains no protein or carbohydrate and only small amounts of some fat-soluble vitamins. A tablespoon provides 13 grams of fat, with a high percentage of both monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids.[4] Monounsaturated fats do not increase heart disease risk. Saturated fats have been linked to a greater risk of heart disease. However, recent research suggests that to accurately assess risk the type of saturated fat needs to be considered.[5] The most prevalent saturated fatty acid in beef tallow is palmitic acid, which is associated with increased LDL cholesterol levels and has been shown to play a significant role in the development of atherosclerotic heart disease.[4,6] The second most prevalent fatty acid is stearic acid, which has been shown to have less impact on blood lipid levels than other saturated fatty acids.[5]  Studies in humans have shown that diets high in stearic acid do not increase cardiac risk.[7,8,9]  Therefore, based on available data regarding the risk of different saturated fatty acids, beef tallow may be less atherogenic than butter but there is no evidence that it is a healthier alternative to vegetable oils.[10,11]


Why is Tallow Trending?

One reason people are choosing tallow is because advocates suggest that it is a less processed, more nutritious alternative to vegetable oils, but the facts do not fully support this. Beef tallow is minimally processed; it is simply heated and strained.  Some vegetable oils are highly processed, but there are cold-pressed vegetable oils that are no more processed than tallow. As to nutrient content, tallow does provide small amounts of vitamins D and E. If the tallow is from grass-fed beef, it also provides a small amount of the vitamin A precursor beta-carotene.[12] In contrast, vegetable oils are one of the best sources of vitamin E in our diet and are also a good source of vitamin K.[13,14] Vegetable oils do not provide vitamin A or vitamin D, unless they are fortified.


Another reason people may choose tallow is its relatively high smoke point. The smoke point is the temperature at which a heated fat begins to produce visible smoke. At this temperature, the fat is being oxidized, producing off-flavors and aromas. The saturated fat in tallow reduces its susceptibility to oxidation, decreasing the likelihood that it will develop off flavors.[15]


Fats with a high smoke point allow high temperature cooking, which creates a crisp exterior and reduces the absorption of fat into the food. So, for foods that require a high cooking temperature, tallow offers some benefits. The famous crispiness and savory flavor of pre-1990 McDonald’s French fries are attributed to the beef tallow in the cooking fat.[16] But tallow is not the only cooking fat that works for high-temperature cooking.  Vegetable oils such as avocado oil, extra-virgin olive oil, and peanut oil also have a high smoke point.


Can Tallow be Part of a Healthy Diet?

No one food makes or breaks a diet; the healthfulness of a diet is determined by the overall pattern of what we choose to eat. A healthy pattern focuses on whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. It limits highly processed foods and keeps saturated fat intake to less than 20 g per day.[17] 


Tallow consumed in moderation can be part of a healthy dietary pattern. A serving of tallow fries for example contains only about 2 grams of saturated fat compared with 24g in a 10-oz steak. So, try some tallow fries, but be sure to balance them with healthy choices throughout the day. 


References


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