05/20/2025
I am sure youāve noticed a wave of restaurants switching their fryers to beef tallow, touting it as a healthier alternative to seed oils. Influencers, media outletsāeven politiciansāhave been repeating these claims. But despite all the hype, I havenāt found any credible scientific evidence backing them up.
Over the past few years, Iāve done a lot of research on this topicābecause I care deeply about what we serve our customers. As a former beef cattle farmer, Iād love to tell you beef tallow is better. It certainly makes for delicious fries. But when it comes to health? The science doesnāt agree.
In fact, every study Iāve found shows canola oil is significantly healthier than beef tallow.
Heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the U.S. for more than a century, claiming nearly a million lives every year. Thatās why at Stripās, weāve proudly used 100% canola oil in our fryers for the past five years. Itās the top choice for deep frying recommended by the American Heart Association.
Canola oil contains:
84% less saturated fat than beef tallow
Only ~7% saturated fat, with 64% heart-healthy monounsaturated fat
An excellent ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3, unlike most seed oils
(The typical Western diet is 20:1 Omega-6 to Omega-3. Canola oil is 2:1.)
It also ranks:
#2 in lowest saturated fat content according to the chart in photo (only behind safflower oil)
#3 in Omega-3 content (after flaxseed and salmon oil)
Yes, beef tallow adds a bold, beefy flavor to fries. But itās not suitable for vegetarians or people with beef allergies. Meanwhile, canola oil is clean, neutral, and lets the real flavor of our food shine.
And about the hexane thing: While itās true that hexane is sometimes used to extract canola oil, the trace amounts found in food are negligible. According to Harvard research, over 98% of our hexane exposure comes from sources like car exhaustānot food.
Iām not claiming Stripās is a health food restaurant, but whether you are having a ācheat mealā or a salad, you can be sure that Iāve carefully considered every ingredient you will consume, which is why we donāt add MSG (monosodium glutamate) to any of our recipes like almost everyone else does. It would be a lot cheaper than real spices! š
Below, Iāve included links to a variety of (arguably) credible sources that helped shape my conclusion about canola oil. If youāve found research that supports the health claims about beef tallow, Iād love to see itāfeel free to share in the comments.
Letās base our food choices on facts not sound bites . Can we please keep this conversation respectful and not political?
Todd Johnson, Proprietor
". . . Canola oil is a safe and healthy form of fat that will reduce blood LDL cholesterol levels and heart disease risk compared to carbohydrates or saturated fats such as found in beef tallow or butter. Indeed, in a randomized trial that showed one of the most striking reductions in risk of heart disease, canola oil was used as the primary form of fat. . ."
https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/2015/04/13/ask-the-expert-concerns-about-canola-oil/
"Replacing ābadā fats (saturated and trans) with āgoodā fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) is smart for your heart. An easy way to do this is to choose nontropical vegetable oils to cook and prepare food. These types of oils are healthier choices than solid fats, which include butter, shortening, lard and stick margarine, and tropical oils, which include palm and coconut oil. Both solid fats and tropical oils have more saturated fat than nontropical liquid fats. When shopping for healthy oils, choose those with less than 4 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon, and no partially hydrogenated oils or trans fats. Here are some common cooking oils that contain more of the ābetter-for-youā fats and less saturated fat: Canola . . . "
American Heart Association https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/fats/healthy-cooking-oils
āBeef tallow is so high in saturated fat that itās a waxy solid at room temperature. . .Think of what that sort of substance does once it gets inside of you. Itās not good for your cardiovascular system. Itās not something you want to regularly use and consume . . . any potential benefits from beef tallow donāt add enough positives to offset the negatives from the saturated fat . . . Anything beneficial in beef tallow is in trace amounts. Itās not enough to make a difference.ā
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/beef-tallow-for-cooking
"Doctors and dietitians with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine are sharing their concerns about the health risks associated with beef tallow, which is high in saturated fat that raises cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of heart disease. 'Scientific studies show that beef tallow poses concerns for heart health. Beef fat is approximately 50% saturated fat, which raises cholesterol levels,' says Anna Herby, DHSc, RD, CDCES, a nutrition education specialist with the Physicians Committee, which has more than 17,000 doctor members. 'While the beef industry has suggested that the stearic acid in beef should limit its cholesterol-raising effect, testing shows that beef tallow has cholesterol-raising effects similar to that of other meats.' Research shows that eating foods high in saturated fat, such as beef tallow and other animal products, raises LDL ābadā cholesterol levels, which increases heart disease risk. . . "
https://www.pcrm.org/news/news-releases/beef-tallow-doctors-group-shares-consumer-health-alert-warning
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