Why Frying French Fries in Beef Tallow Isn’t a Health Upgrade

There’s been a growing trend of “healthifying” fast food by swapping seed oils for traditional fats like beef tallow. Some claim it’s a return to our ancestral roots or a way to avoid “toxic” seed oils. But let’s be clear: just because something is cooked in animal fat doesn’t make it a health food.

Here’s why frying french fries in beef tallow isn’t the win it’s being made out to be:

1. It’s still deep-frying.
   No matter what fat you use, deep-frying creates a calorie-dense, low-nutrient food that can generate harmful compounds (like advanced glycation end products (AGEs), oxidized lipids, and acrylamide - feel free to ignore this - the take home is deep frying is still bad). The body doesn’t care much whether those compounds come from sunflower oil or beef fat.

2. Beef tallow is high in saturated fat.
   Yes, we now understand saturated fat in a more nuanced way. It’s not the 100% villain it was once made out to be, but excess saturated fat—especially from processed, fried foods—is still linked to increased LDL cholesterol and cardiovascular risk in many individuals. We don’t need more of it from something as nutrient-poor as fries. Your goal isn’t zero but 7-10% is reasonable in a heart healthy diet is a great place to aim.

3. Seed oils aren’t the problem—ultra-processed foods are.
   Blaming seed oils distracts from the bigger issue: most people’s diets are overrun with ultra-processed, fried, low-fiber foods. Switching the frying oil doesn’t change the fact that you’re eating a refined carbohydrate cooked in fat with no meaningful micronutrients or fiber.

4. It’s a health halo distraction.
   Fries cooked in beef tallow may seem healthier because of slick marketing or ancestral nostalgia, but it doesn’t change the fact that they’re still fries. No one’s metabolic health improves because they swapped canola oil for cow fat.

5. Context matters.
   If you eat fries occasionally, the type of oil isn’t a dealbreaker. But if they’re part of a regular routine, switching to beef tallow won’t solve the core issue (and will probably worsen it) —which is too much fried, processed food and not enough fiber, phytonutrients, and whole-food diversity.

So no, seed oils aren’t the devil. And beef tallow fries aren’t a wellness hack. Let’s focus on what actually matters: dietary patterns, lower levels of ultra-processed foods, fiber, and how we support long-term health—not just swapping one frying oil for another.