- Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and TikTok influencers are touting beef tallow as the latest craze in health and beauty. Tallow is the fat that’s rendered when meat is boiled.
- Influencers are using it as part of their skincare regimen while Kennedy is pushing it as a healthier alternative to using vegetable and seed oils when frying foods.
- Health experts say, just like anything else, tallow does have some benefits — but may not live up to the hype.
Full story
The latest TikTok trend in skin care is here. Influencers are touting the benefits of rendered beef fat, also known as tallow.
If that sounds familiar, it might be because Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently touted it as a healthier alternative to using vegetable oil when frying foods.
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Good for your skin and your diet?
That sounds almost too good to be true — so, is it? The short answer is both yes and no.
Tallow is the fat that remains after meat is boiled, in this case, beef.
The substance has now made its way into everything from scented whipped body butter, to organic skin balm from grass-fed cattle. It promises everything from “deep hydration” to the “healing of skin conditions.”
There isn’t much scientific data to back the trend. The National Institutes of Health did a review of about 150 published papers on beef tallow being used as a cosmetic product, and they did not find any definitive benefits for skin.
Why are people using it?
While tallow does have some moisturizing properties, it isn’t ideal for all skin types, especially for oily or acne-prone individuals.
That’s because, much like Vaseline — another popular skincare product — it creates a barrier on the skin to keep moisture from getting out or in.
Additionally, animal fats are rich in saturated fatty acids, which can make breakouts worse for certain skin types.
Tallow can also trigger a rash or allergic reactions in some people.
What about in cooking?
When it comes to using tallow for cooking, Kennedy believes it could “Make America Healthy Again” so strongly that he’s selling merchandise promoting the use of tallow. However, experts say seed oils are the better choice since they contain unsaturated fats.
Tags: cattle, cows, Department of Health and Human Services, Fast food, food, Health, Health Care, National Institutes of Health, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Social Media, TikTok
[Craig Nigrelli]
THE LATEST TIKTOK TREND IN SKIN CARE IS HERE – INFLUENCERS ARE TOUTING THE BENEFITS OF BEEF TALLOW.
IF THAT SOUNDS FAMILIAR – IT MIGHT BE BECAUSE HEALTH SECRETARY ROBERT F. KENNEDY JUNIOR RECENTLY TOUTED IT AS A HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVE TO USING VEGETABLE OIL WHEN FRYING FOODS.
GOOD FOR YOUR SKIN AND YOUR DIET?
THAT SOUNDS ALMOST TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE – SO, IS IT?
LET’S START OFF WITH WHAT EXACTLY BEEF TALLOW **IS**.
TALLOW IS THE FAT THAT REMAINS AFTER MEAT IS BOILED – IN THIS CASE, BEEF.
IT’S NOW MADE ITS WAY INTO EVERYTHING FROM SCENTED WHIPPED BODY BUTTER TO ORGANIC SKIN BALM FROM GRASS-FED CATTLE.
IT PROMISES EVERYTHING FROM “DEEP HYDRATION” TO THE “HEALING OF SKIN CONDITIONS.”
WHILE THERE ISN’T MUCH SCIENTIFIC DATA TO BACK THE TREND… THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH DID A REVIEW OF ABOUT 150 PUBLISHED PAPERS ON BEEF TALLOW BEING USED AS A COSMETIC PRODUCT – AND THEY DID **NOT** FIND ANY DEFINITIVE BENEFITS FOR SKIN.
WHILE TALLOW **DOES** HAVE SOME MOISTURIZING PROPERTIES – IT ISN’T IDEAL FOR ALL SKIN TYPES, ESPECIALLY OILY OR ACNE-PRONE INDIVIDUALS.
THAT’S BECAUSE MUCH LIKE VASELINE – ANOTHER POPULAR SKINCARE PRODUCT – IT CREATES A BARRIER ON THE SKIN TO KEEP MOISTURE FROM GETTING OUT OR IN.
AND ANIMAL FATS ARE RICH IN SATURATED FATTY ACIDS, WHICH CAN MAKE BREAKOUTS WORSE FOR CERTAIN SKIN TYPES.
TALLOW CAN ALSO TRIGGER A RASH OR ALLERGIC REACTIONS IN SOME PEOPLE.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO USING TALLOW FOR COOKING – WHILE HEALTH SECRETARY KENNEDY BELIEVES IT COULD “MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN” SO STRONGLY HE’S SELLING MERCHANDISE PROMOTING THE USE OF TALLOW – EXPERTS SAY SEED OILS ARE THE BETTER CHOICE SINCE THEY CONTAIN UNSATURATED FATS.
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