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(732) 222-2219
Did you know beef tallow was the most popular cooking fat in America for over a century? It was called kitchen fat.
Back then, the source of beef tallow was grass-fed, grass-finished cattle. “Grass-finished” means the cattle’s diet wasn’t changed to grain at some point. Beef tallow had a healthy omega-3 to omega-6 ratio of one to three. Not perfect, but much better than corn oil, soybean oil, and sunflower oil.
Omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and protect your heart. Omega-6 fatty acids increase inflammation. Omega-6 fatty acids are needed for healing, but high levels can be harmful.
In the 1970s, beef tallow virtually disappeared. Why?
Big food introduced and heavily marketed margarine, vegetable shortening, hydrogenated oils, and trans fats. Trans fats were later banned because they were linked to heart disease and cancer. Meanwhile, healthier fats like natural beef tallow and butter were demonized.
In the 1980s and 90s, low-fat, highly processed foods became all the rage. Fat was replaced with sugar and refined carbohydrates, which led to high rates of obesity and metabolic disease that we still see today.
Fast forward to the 2020s. Beef tallow is making a comeback, but it’s not your grandmother’s beef tallow.
Today’s beef tallow is mostly sourced from grain-fed cattle that have been treated with antibiotics, synthetic hormones, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). We’ve also seen an explosion of highly refined, industrially processed vegetable oils.
Earlier, I said beef tallow from grass-fed, grass-finished cattle had an omega-3 to omega-6 ratio of one to three. The average American diet is a ratio of one to 15. For modern vegetable oils, the ratio is one to 50 or higher, making already inflammatory diets even worse.
Half a century after natural beef tallow was replaced by fats made by humans in a lab, big food is making billions by selling toxic beef tallow.
It does no good to change the fat category if the source and underlying science remain the same. Beef tallow sounds great, but if it’s highly processed garbage, you shouldn’t be cooking with it.
The lesson here is not to avoid all beef tallow. Just don’t choose the brand with the fancy packaging that’s on sale at the grocery store.
What’s the source of your beef tallow? Can you trace it back to pasture-raised, grass-fed, grass-finished cattle? Or did it come from cattle that consumed genetically modified grains, antibiotics, and hormones?
Sourcing and traceability are everything. Check the label to make sure the beef tallow you choose is non-GMO verified and free of antibiotics and hormones. Look for brands that use minimal processing and triple filtering to maintain healthy compounds and prevent harmful residues.
If labels are vague and information about where and how the cattle were raised is hard to find, that’s a big red flag. I recommend Fatworks, Santa Cruz Paleo, and Sulu Organics, all of which meet the criteria I just outlined.
Beef tallow from the right source is a stable, nutrient-dense cooking fat. Highly processed beef tallow from unhealthy sources is just another big food money grab that makes the chronic illness epidemic worse.
Do your homework and choose wisely. That’s the key to feeling better, functioning better, and living longer.
Dr. James Proodian is an accomplished chiropractic physician, health educator, and professional public speaker who founded Proodian Healthcare Family of Companies to help people feel better, function better, and live longer. His expertise is in identifying clinical imbalances and restoring the body to health and functionality. Contact: jproodian@naturalhc.com or (732) 222‑2219.