Burger Chain To Start Cooking Fries In '100% Beef Tallow' After Trump Nominee RFK Jr. Promotes It

A Midwest-based burger chain says it will start cooking its French fries in 100% beef tallow.

The change from vegetable oil to beef fat comes after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called on McDonald's to return to the method it used for decades.

Starting in February, Steak n Shake will fry its shoestring fries in beef tallow.

"Our fries will now be cooked in an authentic way, 100% beef tallow, in order to achieve the highest quality and best taste," said Chris Ward, chief supply chain officer for the hamburger and milkshake joint.

The news follows public discussions by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. about healthier eating habits for weight management.

In a post published on X, Kennedy, Jr. claimed that eliminating beef tallow from fast food and replacing it with seed oils increased obesity in the country.

"Did you know that McDonald's used to use beef tallow to make their fries from 1940 until phasing it out in favor of seed oils in 1990?" Kennedy Jr. wrote. "This switch was made because saturated animal fats were thought to be unhealthy, but we have since discovered that seed oils are one of the driving causes of the obesity epidemic."

According to Mayo Clinic, beef tallow is beneficial for its anti-inflammatory properties, and aids with fat digestion and weight management.

However, some experts disagree with the idea that beef tallow can be better.

The amount of saturated fat in beef tallow can lead to high cholesterol and heart disease, according to Prevention.

"Beef tallow has around 50% saturated fat which, due to its inflammatory properties, has been linked to an increase in heart disease, high total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol and other chronic diseases," said Keri Gans, an author and clinical associate to Prevention.

President Trump has tapped Kennedy Jr. to run the Department of Health and Human Services.