Beef tallow controversy explained as RFK Jr vows to ‘Make America Healthy Again’
When US President Donald Trump put Robert F Kennedy Jr forward as his pick for the next US Health and Human Services Secretary, it proved to be one of his most controversial cabinet choices.
Kennedy, the nephew of former President John F Kennedy, was sworn into the role in the Oval Office last week, describing Trump as a ‘pivotal historical figure’ who had been a blessing in his life – and would be for America.
With a $1.7 trillion budget now at his disposal, the 71-year-old is in charge of the nation’s top public health agencies, claiming he is ‘uniquely positioned’ to revive trust among citizens.
The only thing is, some of his public views in the past have ruffled more than a few feathers.
Robert F Kennedy Jr's beef tallow controversy
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Along with his hardline anti-vaxx stance, last November, Kennedy posted a video of him deep-frying a turkey in beef tallow for Thanksgiving.
“This is how we cook the MAHA [Make America Healthy Again] way,” he said, referencing the branding he has given to his health agenda.
Kennedy has repeatedly claimed beef tallow is healthier than seed oils, although many experts remain dubious as this has not been proven.
He argued in an Instagram post: “Fast Food is a part of American culture. But that doesn’t mean it has to be unhealthy, and that we can’t make better choices. Did you know that McDonald’s used to use beef tallow to make their fries from 1940 until phasing it out in favor of seed oils in 1990?”
Kennedy continued: “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. Interestingly enough, this began to drastically rise around the same time fast food restaurants switched from beef tallow to seed oils in their fryers.
“People who enjoy a burger with fries on a night out aren’t to blame, and Americans should have every right to eat out at a restaurant without being unknowingly poisoned by heavily subsidized seed oils. It’s time to Make Frying Oil Tallow Again.”
What is beef tallow?
Beef tallow – or rendered beef fat, also known as suet - is used in cooking as well as in products like soap and biodiesel. It’s also been adopted by the skincare world as a very leftfield way of achieving that dewy glow...
Last month, Indianapolis fast food chain Steak ‘n Shake announced it would begin cooking its shoestring fries in beef tallow, posting a photo of Kennedy with the caption: "Did this man just pull up in our drive thru?"
LA-based Sweetgreen is also eliminating seed oils in favour of alternatives like olive and avocado oil, while Blue Collar Restaurant Group – with restaurants in Wyoming and Montana – is opting for butter, beef tallow, olive oil, and avocado oil.
How healthy is beef tallow?
According to Forbes, beef tallow does contain ‘good stuff’ like conjugated linoleic acid and vitamins K2 and E. However, it is also high in saturated fats, which are obviously less than ideal from a health perspective.
Speaking to Health.com a few months back, a number of experts weighed in on the debate, with Kristen White, RDN, saying: “Seed oils offer pros and cons.
“They’re rich in polyunsaturated fats and vitamin E, which are beneficial in moderation.”
However, White added that they are also 'high in omega-6 fats, which may promote inflammation if consumed in excess', and may also contain traces of trans fats when highly refined - a process that can also mean they lose nutrients.
“Choosing one over the other is nuanced and is dependent on a person’s lifestyle, behavior, and environmental circumstances,” Emma Laing, a clinical professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Georgia, added, explaining how beef tallow and seed oils like canola or soybean have similar calorie counts.
“However, beef tallow has more choline, vitamin D, cholesterol, and saturated fat,” she said, “whereas seed oils have more vitamin E, vitamin K, and unsaturated fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids).”
Topics: Donald Trump, Food and Drink, Health, Science
Jess Hardiman