Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has sparked fresh debate over fast food and nutrition with his latest catchphrase. During a visit to a Steak n Shake restaurant in Florida with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Kennedy praised the company for switching from seed oil to beef tallow for cooking its french fries.
“Steak n Shake has been great; we’re very grateful to them for RFKing the french fries—they’ve turned me into a verb,” he said. Despite his strong stance on fast food health risks, he hesitantly ate a small beef-fat-fried fry on camera.
The war on seed oils
Kennedy has been a vocal critic of seed oils, often blaming them for what he describes as the widespread, “unknowing poisoning” of Americans. He has previously labeled fast food from McDonald’s and KFC as “just poison,” arguing that the use of seed oils in cooking contributes to various health issues.
Beef tallow, derived from animal fat, was once a common cooking ingredient in U.S. fast food. It is said to produce crispier, browner fries with a richer, meatier flavor than fries cooked in vegetable oils.
A controversial return to beef tallow
Despite its flavor-enhancing qualities, beef tallow is high in saturated fat, which has been linked to increased risks of cardiovascular diseases. Historically, U.S. fast food chains, including McDonald’s, used beef fat in fryers. However, a major public health campaign led by businessman and anti-heart disease advocate Phil Sokolof led to its removal.
After suffering a heart attack in 1963, Sokolof spent millions of dollars on newspaper ads attacking McDonald’s for using beef tallow. His campaign pressured the fast food giant to switch to vegetable oils in 1990, a move soon followed by competitors such as Wendy’s and Burger King.
Kennedy’s Stance on traditional frying methods
Kennedy insists that beef tallow is a healthier alternative, stating in November, “Your body needs that, it makes you healthy.” He also reminisced about how American fries once surpassed European fries in quality, but he now believes the tables have turned due to differences in cooking methods.
Pushback from medical experts
Not everyone agrees with Kennedy’s stance. Dr. Brad Stanfield, a primary care physician from New Zealand, dismissed the idea that fast food—regardless of the cooking oil used—could be considered healthy. Responding to a video clip posted by MAGA commentator Charlie Kirk, Stanfield wrote on X, “Sorry, but on what planet is eating processed fast food healthy?”
Surgeon Rafael A. Lugo from Houston, Texas, also criticized Kennedy’s comments. “MAHA should be about healthy choices,” he said, referring to the “Make America Healthy Again” movement. Lugo further explained, “This looks to me like a shameless plug. Saturated fat is also detrimental and can lead to insulin resistance. It is bad for the microbiome and well-documented to increase free fatty acids in the blood.”
The larger debate: Nutrition vs. Nostalgia
Kennedy’s advocacy for beef tallow fries has reignited a long-standing debate about nutrition, taste, and the food industry’s influence. While some see his stance as a pushback against processed seed oils, others argue that embracing saturated fats isn’t the answer to America’s health crisis.
With divided opinions from medical experts and nutritionists, the conversation surrounding fast food and public health is unlikely to be settled anytime soon.
