RFK Jr. urges Americans to ditch seed oils in favor of the increasingly popular beef tallow—but is it really healthier?
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"Replacing saturated fats in the diet with oils, like canola oil, sunflower oil and other similar options, which are lower in saturated fat, has been shown to be positive when it comes to health outcomes like lowering the risk of heart disease and lipid levels." - Chris Mohr, PhD, RD
Some people, including RFK Jr., believe that seed oils are poisoning us by triggering inflammation, weakening the immune system, and contributing to chronic diseases.[] But there's no evidence to suggest that seed oils are harmful. - Chris Mohr, PhD, RD
In October, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—who was recently nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Department of Health and Human Services—shared a controversial take about commonly used cooking oils. Seed oils, he believes, are responsible for driving obesity rates in the US.[]
Prior to 1990, fast- food restaurants like McDonald’s used beef tallow to make their fries before swapping them out for seed oils, he said. “This switch was made because saturated animal fats were thought to be unhealthy, but we have since discovered that seed oils are one of the driving causes of the obesity epidemic,” the politician posted.[]
It’s true that Americans once relied on butter, lard, and tallow for cooking purposes, but are natural fats like tallow—which contain both saturated and monounsaturated fats—indeed healthier than seed oils, as RFK Jr. has suggested?[]
Are seed oils actually healthier than tallow?
Once upon a time, our meals were predominantly cooked with animal fats like tallow, a substance made from fatty tissues in animals. Beef tallow is high in saturated fats—and research shows that diets rich in saturated fats have been linked to a higher risk of developing heart disease, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).[][]
Related: The latest greasy gunk trending as 'skincare miracle'Tallow was eventually replaced by vegetable oils in an effort to help people lower their low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, says Chris Mohr, PhD, RD, a sports nutritionist and fitness and nutrition advisor at BarBend. LDL cholesterol is the “bad” cholesterol that, per the National Institutes of Health, increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
“Replacing saturated fats in the diet with oils, like canola oil, sunflower oil and other similar options, which are lower in saturated fat, has been shown to be positive when it comes to health outcomes like lowering the risk of heart disease and lipid levels,” Dr. Mohr says. In fact, a recent study found that consuming seed oils that are rich in unsaturated fats may help lower the risk of chronic disease like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.[]
In recent years, tallow has made a bit of a comeback among those who prefer traditional cooking methods, Dr. Mohr says. And some people, including RFK Jr., believe that seed oils are poisoning us by triggering inflammation, weakening the immune system, and contributing to chronic diseases.[] But there's no evidence to suggest that seed oils are harmful, Dr. Mohr says.
[]So, why have seed oils gotten a bad reputation? Per the AHA, ultra-processed foods that are made with harmful substances like high-fructose corn syrup, added sugar, and sodium are often made with seed oils. Seed oils aren’t the problem, some nutrition scientists believe—those other ingredients likely are.
Is there any real benefit to using beef tallow?
The main benefit of cooking with tallow is that it can withstand high heat. Because it has a high smoke point, tallow can be a useful option when frying food. Beef tallow is also a good source of fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamins D and E, which support bone health and immune support, along with choline, a nutrient that supports the brain and nervous system.[][][]
According to Tejal Parekh, RDN, LDN, a registered dietitian and contributor at The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com, tallow, like lard and butter, is high in cholesterol and therefore unsuitable for people adhering to a low-cholesterol diet. In small amounts, however, it likely won’t have a negative effect. And growing evidence suggests that saturated fats—like tallow, for example—may not be as harmful as they were previously believed to be.[]
If people want to use tallow, Parekh suggests, then they should use it in moderation. Her advice? “Aim for a product that comes from grass-fed cows for a higher proportion of omega-3 fats.” Omega-3 fats help lower the risk of stroke and heart disease, the NIH states.[]
Those looking for an alternative to tallow and seed oils should consider using olive oil when cooking at a lower temperature or in salad dressings, says Parekh. “Olive oil, in particular, has been researched extensively as part of the healthier Mediterranean Diet, which can lower the incidence of various diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity,” she says. If you’re cooking foods at a higher temperature, then avocado oil is a healthier option. Fruit oils, in general, are a good source of polyunsaturated fats—a healthy type of dietary fat, says Parekh.[]
In general, it’s always best to consume a diet that’s rich in plant-based whole foods, Parekh adds. This is especially true when it comes to preventing and managing chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease.[][]