Latest news with #beeftallow
Daily Mail
05-07-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Customers slam Steak 'n Shake's new ad
By The red hat is similar to the 'Make America Great Again' baseball cap, a sign of support for President Donald Trump, while the reference to tallow aligns the company with Trump's top health official, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Steak 'n Shake posted a photo of the hat to advertise ' Tesla Tallow Twofer Tuesday,' an event that took place this week at all of its restaurants. Each location rewarded its first Tesla-owning customers with free grass-fed beef tallow to use at home, along with what some Reddit users called an 'ugly hat.' 'This is just gross and forces your political ideology onto your workers, comedic or not. Steak n' Shake should stay focused on being Steak n' Shake, not some political vehicle,' a post creator wrote on Reddit. The promotion came after Steak 'n Shake backed up RFK Jr.'s plan to switch from vegetable oil to beef tallow in its fries. 'It's just a dying chain latching onto anything they can for relevance. The sad part is the fries don't even taste better in the tallow,' a social media user wrote. Several social media users believe Steak 'n Shake chain began its fall from grace long before the latest promotion. 'They've been going downhill for a while and for the few that remain this just gives me another reason not to go there. Better options like Culvers, Freddy's, etc. exist,' a Reddit user wrote. 'They used to be one of the best places to go get a cheap greasy meal and still have a couple bucks left at the end of the night,' a customer responded. 'Around the time the pandemic started they just lost control. Especially being a restaurant that tried to have an emphasis on being a sit down restaurant with fast service.' A few customers admitted to liking the promotion, and didn't understand why customers found the items controversial. 'Literally every other fast food company pushes left wing agendas in advertising and social media. But this one you have a problem with?,' a commenter responded. The restaurant chain has grown to operate over 400 restaurants since it was founded more than 85 years ago. However, one of its parent organizations, Biglari Holdings, has been struggling financially, and suffered over $40 million in revenue loss last year, according to San Antonio Express News. The company managed to increase its first quarter revenue by 6.2 percent compared to last year's total. It's unclear how much money Steak 'n Shake contributed to its $95 million in revenue. Steak 'n Shake is not the only restaurant chain on board with RFK Jr.'s initiative - although other companies adopted the alternative before Trump's second presidency. Popeyes has been using beef tallow when cooking chicken and fries for many years. While Outback Steakhouse, one of America's favorite restaurant chains, has been using beef tallow since 1988.
Vogue Arabia
28-06-2025
- Health
- Vogue Arabia
Move Over Snail Mucin, Beef Tallow is TikTok's Latest Skincare Obsession
Much of caring for your skin in the 21st century entails experimenting with trending ingredients and techniques, no matter how bizarre they sound. Snail mucin, bee's venom, salmon DNA, dragon's blood… in the name of skincare, it shall be tried and tested. Recently, the realm of SkinTok opened its gates to yet another viral ingredient known as beef tallow — and unlike dragon's blood which has nothing to do with slaying the mythical creature, beef tallow has everything to do with the farm animal. What's the beef? 'Beef tallow is a type of fat obtained from the fatty tissue of cows, typically from areas around the kidneys or loins known as suet,' explains Dr Madhuri Agarwal, founder and medical director, YAVANA Aesthetics. 'After processing, it becomes a solid, creamy fat rich in saturated fatty acids and vitamins A, D, E, and K.' What makes it popular is its fatty acid profile, which is rather similar to human sebum, which is suggested to help support the skin barrier, reduce dryness, and aid in skin healing. This now viral skincare ingredient, however, isn't a recent discovery. According to the founder and medical director at Epione Medical Corporation and Hollywood's go-to cosmetic dermatologist, Dr Simon Ourian, beef tallow dates back to ancient civilisations. 'They were onto something, but they also didn't have access to the dermatologic science we have today,' he says. The skin benefits Just like snail mucin, beef tallow is perceived as a 'natural' ingredient that can aid in treating the skin, and that's what makes it popular even today. 'People are drawn to it for its simplicity and nostalgic appeal — it's unprocessed, rich, and feels natural,' Dr Ourian states. Think of it as a whole-fat moisturiser, adds Dr Agarwal. Rich in palmitic, stearic, and oleic acid, as well as linoleic acid, it is said to deeply hydrate, repair the skin barrier, and reduce irritation, particularly for dry, sensitive, or eczema-prone skin. Safe for all? …not without limitations! While beef tallow is beneficial for individuals with dry or reactive skin, there are potential risks and side effects for others. 'It's very occlusive,' warns Dr Ourian. 'This means that it can clog pores, especially in those with oily or acne-prone skin.' Its non-comedogenic nature can even exacerbate skin conditions such as acne or folliculitis — quite contrary to the acne-reducing properties TikTok seems to be promoting.
CNN
23-06-2025
- Health
- CNN
Brands brace for a MAHA food fight
Steak 'n Shake, a chain best known for milkshakes paired with burgers, is not exactly the first food that comes to mind that would comport to the tenets of wellness championed by the 'Make America Healthy Again,' or MAHA movement. MAHA supporters, led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., agitate for 'clean' ingredients, cutting out sugar and saying no to food dyes and seed oils, among other things. Yet Steak 'n Shake has managed to earn the health secretary's blessing after announcing it would shift to using beef tallow — a MAHA favorite — to fry its food. This spring, it even mounted at least one pop-up lunch day at HHS headquarters, according to signs seen by CNN in the building. Major food and agricultural groups are publicly positioning themselves as fans of the MAHA movement, with brands of all stripes rushing to seize this moment for change as Kennedy draws up plans to reshape American food policy. By August, the secretary aims to issue the second installment of a sweeping plan, ordered by President Donald Trump, to tackle the causes of chronic illnesses in the country. The first report laid the groundwork for Kennedy's targets: environmental toxins, certain medications, and a whole lot of processed food. This second stage will lay out what HHS and other agencies plan to do about it. On top of that, Kennedy has also pledged new, slimmed-down dietary guidelines in line with this vision, also due out this summer — another change for food companies to furrow their brows over. But even as food and consumer advocates and their lobbyists jockey for a say, access and results have been highly mixed. Some are girding themselves for chilly receptions. 'I'm not going to say that there's no opportunity,' one consumer advocacy group executive, who asked not to be named amid the sensitive discussions, put it. But the secretary 'has been out there on a lot of unproven theories over the years,' the person said, 'and we're skeptical that our views will be taken seriously.' Food and agricultural groups were already put on guard when President Trump issued an executive order in February demanding a new approach to health in America. The order established the 'MAHA Commission,' which would advise the president on 'how best to exercise his authority to address the childhood chronic disease crisis.' In his capacity as HHS secretary, Kennedy was tapped to lead it and pulled together its first report laying out the main culprits, in their estimation, driving chronic diseases in the country. The specter of industry crackdowns that the report promised to bring set off a flurry of efforts to court Kennedy and his MAHA allies. As Kennedy was preparing the report, the National Oilseed Processors Association and the Edible Oil Producers Association, representatives of seed oil makers, each hired new lobbyists. The American Beverage Association, the trade group for major brands like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, spent over $1 million in Washington, DC, lobbying the first few months of this year, up from $710,000 in the same period of 2024 according to public filings compiled by CNN. But it seems these overtures have so far only had limited success. This month, oilseed processors wrote a letter to Kennedy complaining that they, along with soybean and corn farmers, ranchers and other farming groups, have had no dialogue with HHS about the first MAHA report, which they argued had many flaws — or about what could come in the next installment. The lack of traction is, perhaps, unsurprising. Kennedy has railed against perceived influence that industry groups have over the agencies that regulate their products. The initial MAHA report specifically called out government lobbying across various industries, noting that more than 60% of lobbyists were formerly federal employees. Other major brands have gone the route of publicly stepping up the message of their alignment with the MAHA movement. Of its beef tallow switch, Steak 'n Shake said in February that their fries were being 'RFK'd!' The fast-food chain states on their website that fries, onion rings and chicken tenders are now fried in 100% beef tallow but other changes, like altering bread bun recipes to remove seed oils, will take more time. Last week Kraft Heinz, one of the country's biggest food manufacturers, said it would begin to phase out artificial food dyes currently in popular products like Heinz Ketchup, Crystal Light, Jell-O, and Kool-Aid. 'It is in our DNA to continuously renovate and innovate to make sure that we stay relevant and bring value to our consumers,' a Kraft Heinz spokesperson told CNN. And when Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol met with Kennedy this month, he shared, as the secretary put it, the coffee chain's plan to 'further MAHA its menu.' Regarding this, a Starbucks spokesperson told CNN it aims to let customers make 'informed nutritional decisions with transparency on ingredients, calories, and more. Plus, we keep it real — no high fructose corn syrup, artificial dyes, flavors, or artificial trans-fats.' The voluntary moves to align with MAHA goals seem to have at least earned those brands public praise from Kennedy. Brewing alongside this is a separate longtime Kennedy priority: changing the nation's dietary guidelines. The federal guide, which currently runs 164 pages, is used by everything from schools to doctors' offices to determine what students eat, what patients are recommended and what can be bought on food stamps. Kennedy has repeatedly said he wants the document to be chopped down to 'four page(s)' of plain language that is easy for parents, nurses and schools to use and that the update will also be delivered this summer. The current guide, Kennedy told reporters in April, 'looks like it was written by the food processing industry.' Yet it's not all up to Kennedy. The dietary guidelines are a joint project between HHS and the US Department of Agriculture, which also oversees vast parts of America's food systems and nutrition programs. The jurisdictions of the two agencies is not straightforward and can be at times downright confusing. For example, the Food and Drug Administration or FDA, a part of HHS, regulates health standards for sandwiches, but the USDA oversees the standards for open-face meat sandwiches. FDA oversees meat products made from bison, antelope, squirrels, opossums, rabbits, and an array of wild poultry but, USDA has control over farm and factory-raised ducks, geese, chicken, and other domestic poultry. Wild duck and geese food safety, on the other hand, are still managed by the FDA. USDA oversees most livestock meat products while the FDA regulates fish — except catfish. That fish officially moved over to USDA's purview in 2016, after domestic catfish farmers lobbied Congress for more safety oversight. Importantly, USDA is also in charge of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which provides food stamps to low-income Americans. Kennedy has campaigned for barring Americans from using food stamps to buy soda and candy, triggering backlash from industry groups including the American Beverage Association — which pointed out SNAP isn't part of the HHS secretary's job. All this would make the situation seem ripe for conflict. The health and agriculture agencies 'have a huge overlap,' but previous clashes have usually been about food safety issues, said Marion Nestle, a New York University professor emerita, and author of the book 'Food Politics.' 'It's never been a problem before, because nobody's ever tried to do anything like this before,' she said, referring to the large-scale reforms Kennedy is proposing. Amid these overlapping factors and interests, some lobbyists think they can find better luck with the USDA and its secretary Brooke Rollins, according to people familiar with discussions. She has already sought to reassure farmers and food manufacturers who objected to the first MAHA report that its finding were not final. 'There's no doubt that we could do better on the next report, and my commitment is to do everything I can to ensure that our 'Ag' community is better represented,' Rollins told the House Agriculture Committee this month. Rollins, a longtime Trump ally who grew up on a Texas farm, is 'savvy' when it comes to navigating Kennedy's MAHA goals, said one person familiar with the discussions. 'She's not gonna let somebody roll her over if she really cares about it.' CNN has reached out to HHS and the USDA for comment.
CNN
23-06-2025
- Health
- CNN
Brands brace for a MAHA food fight
Steak 'n Shake, a chain best known for milkshakes paired with burgers, is not exactly the first food that comes to mind that would comport to the tenets of wellness championed by the 'Make America Healthy Again,' or MAHA movement. MAHA supporters, led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., agitate for 'clean' ingredients, cutting out sugar and saying no to food dyes and seed oils, among other things. Yet Steak 'n Shake has managed to earn the health secretary's blessing after announcing it would shift to using beef tallow — a MAHA favorite — to fry its food. This spring, it even mounted at least one pop-up lunch day at HHS headquarters, according to signs seen by CNN in the building. Major food and agricultural groups are publicly positioning themselves as fans of the MAHA movement, with brands of all stripes rushing to seize this moment for change as Kennedy draws up plans to reshape American food policy. By August, the secretary aims to issue the second installment of a sweeping plan, ordered by President Donald Trump, to tackle the causes of chronic illnesses in the country. The first report laid the groundwork for Kennedy's targets: environmental toxins, certain medications, and a whole lot of processed food. This second stage will lay out what HHS and other agencies plan to do about it. On top of that, Kennedy has also pledged new, slimmed-down dietary guidelines in line with this vision, also due out this summer — another change for food companies to furrow their brows over. But even as food and consumer advocates and their lobbyists jockey for a say, access and results have been highly mixed. Some are girding themselves for chilly receptions. 'I'm not going to say that there's no opportunity,' one consumer advocacy group executive, who asked not to be named amid the sensitive discussions, put it. But the secretary 'has been out there on a lot of unproven theories over the years,' the person said, 'and we're skeptical that our views will be taken seriously.' Food and agricultural groups were already put on guard when President Trump issued an executive order in February demanding a new approach to health in America. The order established the 'MAHA Commission,' which would advise the president on 'how best to exercise his authority to address the childhood chronic disease crisis.' In his capacity as HHS secretary, Kennedy was tapped to lead it and pulled together its first report laying out the main culprits, in their estimation, driving chronic diseases in the country. The specter of industry crackdowns that the report promised to bring set off a flurry of efforts to court Kennedy and his MAHA allies. As Kennedy was preparing the report, the National Oilseed Processors Association and the Edible Oil Producers Association, representatives of seed oil makers, each hired new lobbyists. The American Beverage Association, the trade group for major brands like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, spent over $1 million in Washington, DC, lobbying the first few months of this year, up from $710,000 in the same period of 2024 according to public filings compiled by CNN. But it seems these overtures have so far only had limited success. This month, oilseed processors wrote a letter to Kennedy complaining that they, along with soybean and corn farmers, ranchers and other farming groups, have had no dialogue with HHS about the first MAHA report, which they argued had many flaws — or about what could come in the next installment. The lack of traction is, perhaps, unsurprising. Kennedy has railed against perceived influence that industry groups have over the agencies that regulate their products. The initial MAHA report specifically called out government lobbying across various industries, noting that more than 60% of lobbyists were formerly federal employees. Other major brands have gone the route of publicly stepping up the message of their alignment with the MAHA movement. Of its beef tallow switch, Steak 'n Shake said in February that their fries were being 'RFK'd!' The fast-food chain states on their website that fries, onion rings and chicken tenders are now fried in 100% beef tallow but other changes, like altering bread bun recipes to remove seed oils, will take more time. Last week Kraft Heinz, one of the country's biggest food manufacturers, said it would begin to phase out artificial food dyes currently in popular products like Heinz Ketchup, Crystal Light, Jell-O, and Kool-Aid. 'It is in our DNA to continuously renovate and innovate to make sure that we stay relevant and bring value to our consumers,' a Kraft Heinz spokesperson told CNN. And when Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol met with Kennedy this month, he shared, as the secretary put it, the coffee chain's plan to 'further MAHA its menu.' Regarding this, a Starbucks spokesperson told CNN it aims to let customers make 'informed nutritional decisions with transparency on ingredients, calories, and more. Plus, we keep it real — no high fructose corn syrup, artificial dyes, flavors, or artificial trans-fats.' The voluntary moves to align with MAHA goals seem to have at least earned those brands public praise from Kennedy. Brewing alongside this is a separate longtime Kennedy priority: changing the nation's dietary guidelines. The federal guide, which currently runs 164 pages, is used by everything from schools to doctors' offices to determine what students eat, what patients are recommended and what can be bought on food stamps. Kennedy has repeatedly said he wants the document to be chopped down to 'four page(s)' of plain language that is easy for parents, nurses and schools to use and that the update will also be delivered this summer. The current guide, Kennedy told reporters in April, 'looks like it was written by the food processing industry.' Yet it's not all up to Kennedy. The dietary guidelines are a joint project between HHS and the US Department of Agriculture, which also oversees vast parts of America's food systems and nutrition programs. The jurisdictions of the two agencies is not straightforward and can be at times downright confusing. For example, the Food and Drug Administration or FDA, a part of HHS, regulates health standards for sandwiches, but the USDA oversees the standards for open-face meat sandwiches. FDA oversees meat products made from bison, antelope, squirrels, opossums, rabbits, and an array of wild poultry but, USDA has control over farm and factory-raised ducks, geese, chicken, and other domestic poultry. Wild duck and geese food safety, on the other hand, are still managed by the FDA. USDA oversees most livestock meat products while the FDA regulates fish — except catfish. That fish officially moved over to USDA's purview in 2016, after domestic catfish farmers lobbied Congress for more safety oversight. Importantly, USDA is also in charge of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which provides food stamps to low-income Americans. Kennedy has campaigned for barring Americans from using food stamps to buy soda and candy, triggering backlash from industry groups including the American Beverage Association — which pointed out SNAP isn't part of the HHS secretary's job. All this would make the situation seem ripe for conflict. The health and agriculture agencies 'have a huge overlap,' but previous clashes have usually been about food safety issues, said Marion Nestle, a New York University professor emerita, and author of the book 'Food Politics.' 'It's never been a problem before, because nobody's ever tried to do anything like this before,' she said, referring to the large-scale reforms Kennedy is proposing. Amid these overlapping factors and interests, some lobbyists think they can find better luck with the USDA and its secretary Brooke Rollins, according to people familiar with discussions. She has already sought to reassure farmers and food manufacturers who objected to the first MAHA report that its finding were not final. 'There's no doubt that we could do better on the next report, and my commitment is to do everything I can to ensure that our 'Ag' community is better represented,' Rollins told the House Agriculture Committee this month. Rollins, a longtime Trump ally who grew up on a Texas farm, is 'savvy' when it comes to navigating Kennedy's MAHA goals, said one person familiar with the discussions. 'She's not gonna let somebody roll her over if she really cares about it.' CNN has reached out to HHS and the USDA for comment.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
As some restaurants ditch seed oils for beef tallow, UPEI prof warns it's no health upgrade
At Pedro's Island Eatery in North Rustico, owner Pedro Gameiro has long been not a fan of using seed oils for frying — so much so that he once considered removing fried foods from his menu altogether. "So, I found an alternative… by going back to my roots," the Portuguese chef told This is P.E.I. podcast host Mitch Cormier. That alternative is beef tallow, or rendered beef fat. Gameiro said Portuguese and Italian cooking methods often use animal fats like lard and beef fat for cooking as well as preservation. Now his restaurant has eliminated seed oils from the kitchen and switched to beef tallow for frying. The change is costing him more, almost double compared to seed oils, but he believes it's the right choice for both his business and his customers. "It's a matter of principle, and taste for the customer," he said. Beef tallow has recently gained new popularity, partly thanks to high-profile figures like U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Back in March, Kennedy appeared in a Fox News interview with a cheeseburger and fries, endorsing a burger chain's decision to fry their food in beef tallow. The interview was one of many instances in which Kennedy publicly criticized seed oils, despite decades of research supporting their use. Dietitians like Jennifer Taylor, who teaches courses in food and nutrition at the University of Prince Edward Island, are concerned about these recent shifts in public messaging. While seed oils aren't perfect, she said eliminating them doesn't mean health benefits. Often known as cooking or vegetable oils, seed oils come from the seeds of plants such as canola, corn, soybeans or sunflowers. The oils have a high concentration of omega-6 fatty acids and low concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids. Both are polyunsaturated fats, which can help reduce bad cholesterol levels in blood — reducing the risk for heart disease and stroke. In comparison, animal-based oils or fats like beef tallow have saturated fats, which can raise your bad cholesterol levels. Saturated fats are also found in tropical oils such as coconut and palm oil. "The amount of evidence that palm oil, coconut oil and beef tallow can make your health worse is huge. You look at all the major organizations — you know, the World Health Organization, any big organization in the U.S., in the U.K., in Europe — they're all saying the same thing," Taylor said. Taylor said she's aware of the recent resurgence of beef tallow, appearing in social media skincare trends and having high-profile individuals promoting it. "Pushing beef tallow for health reasons is ludicrous, in my mind," the dietitian said. However, while there are health benefits to seed oils, they can pose risks when reused over and over again for frying, Taylor said. That's because polyunsaturated fats are vulnerable to oxidation — chemical changes that occur when exposed to oxygen and heat repeatedly. "Things start to break down, and you can form compounds that are, you know, not necessarily very good for you." That's why she recommends choosing reputable restaurants that regularly change their oil. "A good restaurant is not going to let their oil get black," she said. Another reason some people are concerned about seed oils is that some old research suggests having a high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids could lead to higher levels of chronic inflammation, she said. "We know now that pretty much every disease that we worry about is basically coming from an inflammatory process. So if you eat a lot of foods that are what we would call pro-inflammatory foods, you might be more likely to develop high cholesterol, you might be more likely to get cancer, those kinds of things." Still, she stressed that nutritional scientists consider both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids to be healthy fats. "We have a mountain of evidence that says that these healthy fats, that we continue to say are healthy fats, will decrease your risk of the things that kill us," she said. "And then we have a little tiny bit of evidence that says maybe these omega-6s might lead to inflammation, but it's more of a theory. We don't really have any proof for that." Taylor said it's important that people evaluate the source and quality of any health claims, especially when they come from individuals without expertise in nutrition. "When an individual MD comes out with a claim, you have to ask them, 'Well, how much evidence do you have?'... and 'How much background do you have in nutrition?'" In the end, Taylor said that despite the health benefits of seed oils, moderation is important — especially when it comes to fried foods. "You're not supposed to be eating buckets of any kind of oil." Variety is also key, she said. Nutrients like omega-3s can be found not just in seed oils but in many healthy foods, including fish, nuts, seeds and avocados. As for Gameiro, he said that after reading more about both types, he found beef tallow to be less processed than seed oils. Since making the switch, he's noticed a real differences in both taste and texture. "The fries come out in a way that they never did with seed oils," he said. "It's a much lighter fry. And even the... fish and chips, it's much lighter, better tasting." He also said beef tallow can last longer in the fryer, as long as it stays under 350 F. Gameiro isn't worried about losing customers. When he posted about the change on social media, the response was largely positive, he said. Still, he agrees with Taylor on at least one point: Fried food is still fried food. "I don't find they're something that is great for your health. You have to limit the consumption."
