Beef tallow not a healthier option than seed oils
Beef tallow has been making a comeback as a frying oil amid concerns over potential health harms from using seed oils, according to a March 20 New York Times article. But nutrition experts quoted in the article cautioned against using beef tallow, noting that it is high in saturated fat, which is much worse for heart health than unsaturated fats such as vegetable oils (which include seed oils and others such as olive and coconut).
One concern about seed oils such as canola is that they are high in omega-6 fatty acids, which some have linked to inflammation and higher risk of illness—a claim that Walter Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, traces to a 2002 review study.
“But I’ve gone through these papers and there’s not a single shred of evidence that this is actually true,” Willett said in the Times. “This is all theoretical.”
Read the New York Times article: Is Beef Tallow Good for You? Kennedy Thinks So, but Experts Disagree.
Are seed oils healthful or harmful? (Harvard Chan School news)
Scientists debunk claims of seed oil health risks (Harvard Chan School news)
