What is beef tallow? What to know as Steak ‘n Shake makes big fry change

Steak 'n Shake announced a big change to its fries will begin in the coming days.

The fast food chain will begin using beef tallow for frying fries at all of its restaurants starting March 1, though some locations have already made the switch.

The chain announced that "Tallow Fries" are already available at locations in Ohio, Colorado, Florida, Texas and Oklahoma.

The move was first announced in January, when the chain said it planned to moved forward "with the use of 100% all-natural beef tallow in all its restaurants."

"Our fries will now be cooked in an authentic way, 100% beef tallow, in order to achieve the highest quality and best taste," Chris Ward, chief supply chain officer for Steak 'n Shake, said in a statement at the time.

The restaurant also nodded to current Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., writing on social media this week "Fries will be RFK’d!"

Kennedy Jr. congratulated the chain for making the "transition away from seed oils."

"Thanks for leadership in the crusade to Make America Healthy Again," he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

As Kennedy promoted his "Make America Healthy Again" agenda during the presidential election campaign, he repeated controversial claims about "seed oils."

Kennedy Jr. previously called seed oils one of the unhealthiest ingredients and, like Steak n Shake has now done, urged companies to curb their use of them.

So what's better for you?

What is beef tallow?

According to the Mayo Clinic, "tallow is a whiteish substance that is solid at room temperature."

"It’s made by removing, simmering and clarifying the fatty tissue that surrounds the organs of ruminant animals. Ruminant animals chew their cud and include cows, buffaloes, sheep, goats and deer," the clinic stated. "Beef tallow is commonly made from cows and is sometimes called 'beef drippings.'"

The product is often used for cooking at high temperatures, but is commonly used outside of food, including in skincare, candles, soaps and more.

Is it good for you?

The Mayo Clinic said adding a high-quality beef tallow to your diet or skincare routine "has potential benefits to the inside and outside of your body," but a "high intake of saturated fats is still linked to poor heart health ... so it is best to use sparingly as a cooking oil."

The American Heart Association, "recommends aiming for a dietary pattern that achieves less than 6% of total calories from saturated fat."

There have been some recent recalls involving tallow products, particularly for skincare.

What are the "Hateful Eight" oils?

Seed oils have sparked debate among health-conscious communities, nutritionists, and doctors, with some referring to them as the "hateful eight," NBC News reported.

The "hateful eight" include:

• Canola oil
• Corn oil
• Cottonseed oil
• Soybean oil
• Sunflower oil
• Safflower oil
• Grapeseed oil
• Rice bran oil

What's the difference between beef tallow and seed oils?

Many oils today are now made by cold-pressing, which can reduce processing and potentially add some nutritional benefits. Although all oils contain fat, the types of fat and other micronutrients change from oil to oil.

According to the Cleveland Health Clinic, "seed oils aren’t necessarily good for you," but the reasoning might not be what you expect.

"The real reason they’re considered so bad for you is related to how they’re most often used: in processed foods and ultra-processed foods," the clinic stated, noting that many "are high in linoleic acid, a type of omega-6 fatty acids."

Registered dietitian Julia Zumpano, RD, LD said "most seed oils are utilized in the form of packaged foods, fast foods and eating out and that’s where most of the danger lies.”

“When people say they’re cutting seed oils from their diet, what they really end up doing is cutting out many processed foods,” she said. “I think that’s why we often hear about seed oils as being so bad for your health. But the reality is that it’s less about the seed oils themselves and more about the fact that they’re so often found in ultra-processed foods.”

Some experts say while seed oils may not be great, replacing them with beef fat may not be better.

“There is a lot of evidence for the benefits of getting rid of saturated replacing it with polyunsaturated fats,” Christopher Gardner, Ph.D., professor of Medicine at Stanford University told TODAY.