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Beef Tallow, Long a Health Pariah, Rises to the Top of the Food Pyramid

Beef tallow, a fat that both cardiologists and the federal government told Americans to avoid for nearly half a century, has become an unexpected breakout star in the new federal dietary guidelines. The rendered beef fat has been quietly growing in popularity over the past few years among cooks who like how it crisps fries and doughnuts, beauty influencers who smooth it on their skin and others who favor it for high-fat diets or believe it’s healthier than oil pressed from seeds.

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 Are beef tallow fries healthier? These nutritionists say don't kid yourself

Kennedy has inspired Steak n' Shake to switch back to tallow — which is rendered beef fat — for cooking its fries. The cooking fat was phased out from fast food chains about 35 years ago when heart-attack survivor Phil Sokolof launched a campaign against saturated fat.

 Is beef tallow really safe for your health and skin? We asked the experts

There are no known health benefits to consuming beef tallow, says Christopher Gardner, a nutrition scientist and professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. Beef tallow is one of the main dietary sources of saturated fat, along with butter, lard, palm oil and coconut oil, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

Articles of Interest

Is Beef Tallow Good for You? Kennedy Thinks So, but Experts Disagree

When McDonald’s stopped frying with beef tallow in the 1990s, most people saw it as a win for America’s health. What changed?

Red Meat, Beef Tallow In New Dietary Guidelines. What You Need To Know

While no nutrition expert should argue that protein and essentially fatty acids aren’t important to have in your diet, a big reason why so many are having a cow about all this is that there are other sources of protein besides red meat. Sure, red meat can be quite rich in protein as well as other important nutrients like iron, zinc, potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12. But the relatively high saturated fat content of red meat could significantly increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.

‘MAHA’ Supporters Want More Beef Tallow. There’s Not Enough.

Made from the melted-down fatty tissue of slaughtered cattle, tallow has become a darling ingredient among restaurant chains and consumers hoping to ditch seed oils. Some brands are promoting a shift away from seed oils to tallow, citing its growing popularity and some consumers’ preference in how products taste after cooking with it.

Beef tallow as skin care? Experts explain what’s truth—and myth

It may seem like something you eat would be fine to put on your skin—but experts say there are better, clinically proven options.

Beef Tallow Skin Care Has Taken Over Wellness-Tok—But Does It Work?

Are you forever chasing the sumptuously hydrated complexion of wellness It girl Hannah Bronfman? Then you'd be happy to know that her juicy sheen comes courtesy of beef tallow—that's right, rendered beef fat—which she slathers on nightly as the last step in her skin care routine.

How to make beef tallow

Beef tallow is a form of rendered beef fat that is commonly used in cooking, soapmaking, and skincare. It is obtained by gently cooking beef fat over heat until it liquefies, then filtering out the solids. The remaining liquid fat is then cooled until it hardens. This process removes water, proteins, and other impurities resulting in a versatile fat that will keep for a long time.

I Used Beef Tallow On My Skin For A Week—Here’s What Happened

How far would you go for dewy, radiant skin? The internet is pushing that boundary with the popularity of beef tallow, which is being touted as the latest viral skincare trend. If you're not sure what that is—let me warn you, it's not for the weak. Beef tallow is animal fat from a cow.

Is Beef Tallow the Skincare Hero Social Media Claims—Or Just Hype?

Beef tallow's natural positioning resonates with the clean beauty movement, offering a single-ingredient alternative to synthetic emollients. Add to that the TikTok effect with creators showcasing supposed before-and-after results and throw in a few high profile advocates, and it starts to become easy to see why this traditional ingredient has suddenly found itself at the centre of the modern beauty conversation. However, Dr Phillips cautions that popularity doesn’t always equal efficacy:

Miracle balm or cow pie? What's behind the beef tallow skincare trend

Rubbing rendered animal fat into your skin might sound gross, but beef tallow has become a trendy skin care product that some claim can clear up acne, help with dry skin and even make you look younger. Tallow is fat that has been slowly melted, strained and then hardened into a waxy paste. Often used in cooking, all sorts of animal fats — goat, swan, even lion — have also been used as a cosmetics ingredient since antiquity, says historian Susan Stewart.

People Are Putting Beef on Their Faces. What Could Go Wrong?

Natural, tallow-based cosmetics can be made at home or bought from artisans. Doctors aren’t thrilled, but they’re all the rage on TikTok.