General Discussion

Zorro

(17,267 posts) Mon Mar 17, 2025, 01:00 PM Mar 17

List of restaurants switching to beef tallow for fries: RFK Jr. says it's healthier, is it? [View all]

Last week, new U.S. Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Fox News' Sean Hannity appeared at a Melbourne Steak 'n Shake to sample and praise its french fries. The Brevard County locations were the first in the country to switch to frying in beef tallow rather than seed oil, one of RFK Jr.'s controversial suggestions to "Make America Healthy Again."

On March 1, the company posted on the social media platform X that all locations nationwide now serve fries cooked in "100% beef tallow... No preservatives, chemicals or additives." A later post said, "Zealots cannot stop us."

Steak 'n Shake described the move as "RFK'ing" its fries after Kennedy claimed that seed oils are a major driver of the obesity epidemic and beef tallow is a healthier alternative. Since then, Kennedy has revealed that four more major chains including Popeye's and Outback Steakhouse already use beef tallow or other non-seed oils or plan to.

Seed oils have been linked to some health issues such as diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and inflammatory bowel disease. However, some studies have found that solid fats such as beef tallow are worse for people's health.

https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/2025/03/17/robert-kennedy-beef-tallow-restaurants-steak-shake-popeyes-outback/82486844007/

I did not know beef tallow fries were a coming thing...

59 replies

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List of restaurants switching to beef tallow for fries: RFK Jr. says it's healthier, is it? [View all] Zorro Mar 17 OP

Fast food healthier than vaccines. Irish_Dem Mar 17 #1

McDonalds changed a long time ago when I was working there in college (from beef tallow) JT45242 Mar 17 #2

The evidence is damning, though. orange you glad.... Mar 17 #3

That is WAY misleading jmowreader Mar 17 #14

Hydrogenated oil is not good for us. orange you glad.... Mar 17 #20

Peanut oil is probably healthier than tallow or hydrogenated soybean oil. yellowcanine Mar 17 #29

Haven't had them in years (anywhere)... Can't say I miss them hlthe2b Mar 17 #21

Umm, here is the ingredients for both, taken from their respective McDonald's websites: W_HAMILTON Mar 17 #40

I remember hearing that Julia Child was a fan of McDonald's beef tallow French fries Polybius Mar 17 #11

If I recall correctly, they changed because of a lawsuit... regnaD kciN Mar 18 #58

Short answer: no Luvcatz14 Mar 17 #4

I can only speak for myself.... Happy Hoosier Mar 17 #5

Okay, I deal with enough patients to know I have to translate: T2D refers to type-2 diabetes, hlthe2b Mar 17 #22

Correct Type 2 diabetes. Happy Hoosier Mar 17 #34

I believe the MAGA have a seven deadly oil list Johonny Mar 17 #6

If RFK Jr. says it's healthier bif Mar 17 #7

Mayo Clinic Press on beef tallow womanofthehills Mar 18 #45

It's like these assholes sit around and intentionally try to come up with the absolute worst answer to every question. Initech Mar 17 #8

Brawndo -- it's got what plants crave! Zorro Mar 17 #10

He got hit in the balls!!!! Initech Mar 17 #39

Remember in the old days when everyone was thin womanofthehills Mar 18 #46

And dying earlier. My grandmother was one. Dead at 46 Hassler Mar 18 #52

But motor oil is healthier than toxic sludge! Beartracks Mar 18 #56

Notice they call beef fat "tallow" to sane-wash it. There is a food fad against "seed oils" Bernardo de La Paz Mar 17 #9

There isn't much evidence for beef fat. Lots of T2D in my family... keep_left Mar 17 #13

Corn oil is a seed oil. jmowreader Mar 17 #15

I think they make some distinction between oils like avocado... keep_left Mar 17 #19

Omega 3? get the red out Mar 17 #32

Yeah, something like that. Omega-3 and Omega-6 are organic chem... keep_left Mar 17 #38

Yeah, ain't gonna argue category semantics, but I agree. Happy Hoosier Mar 17 #35

Cleveland Clinic list Bernardo de La Paz Mar 17 #16

+1 Hugin Mar 17 #25

Yeah. It is the beef equivalent to lard (pork) hlthe2b Mar 17 #18

Mar-a-Tallow?? madinmaryland Mar 17 #26

The bad thing about seed oils is they are so processed womanofthehills Mar 18 #47

RFK also touts ingesting VGNonly Mar 17 #12

When I think "healthy" Steak n Shake is at the top of my list. flvegan Mar 17 #17

This is like a microcosm of every debate today pcdb Mar 17 #43

NOT healthier, but unfortunately ... Dorothy V Mar 17 #23

No one was overweight back then womanofthehills Mar 18 #48

The foolishness about "seed oils" is yet another dig at Canada. Hugin Mar 17 #24

The gross thing about US canola is 95% is GMO & heavily pesticided womanofthehills Mar 18 #49

Good luck finding some. n/t Hugin Mar 18 #51

So we're trying to decide which deep fried fast food is the healthiest? johnp3907 Mar 17 #27

Beef and especially beef fat is a trigger for IBS for my wife TexLaProgressive Mar 17 #28

She should get an Air Fryer womanofthehills Mar 18 #50

If the idiot fool of the Kennedy family (everyoone has one_ has his way TexLaProgressive Mar 18 #59

No claudette Mar 17 #30

Vegetable oil vs beef tallow Bluestocking Mar 17 #31

let's see. . .tallow candles. . tallow-cooked fries. .do I just hold them niyad Mar 17 #33

This is the same guy who claimed vaccines caused autism without evidence so why should we listen to him? yellowcanine Mar 17 #36

A live shot of America's cardiologists BannonsLiver Mar 17 #37

Comparing beef fat with seed oil in terms of health JanMichael Mar 17 #41

It's tastier. Not necessarily healthier. Frying food isn't healthy anyway. haele Mar 17 #42

It's not healthier, but eat what you want etc. is my motto. It's up to you 😁 Meowmee Mar 17 #44

use it, don't use it, whatever, just don't pretend there's anything healthy about it eShirl Mar 18 #53

Seems the healthier way Mountainguy Mar 18 #54

NO, as a vegetarian Raine Mar 18 #55

our PBS had a short british dr show that tested all cooking oils. it was a small study. but the only oil that DIDN'T pansypoo53219 Mar 18 #57