What is tallow?

Tallow is fat that is gently heated (rendered) with all impurities removed. It is then allowed to come back to room temperature where it is in a solid state.

Hunter & Gather Tallow is made from Suet fat only – this is the prized fat around the kidney of the cow and has been treasured by our ancestors for millenia.

What can beef tallow be used for?

It can be used for a range of cooking applications such as frying, roasting and even baking.

Tallow is even great as moisturiser for your hair, body and face.

How do I use beef tallow?

You can use Beef Tallow as you would any other cooking fat/oil and you can even use it as a moisturiser for your hair, body and face.

Is beef tallow a healthy fat?

Yes! A very healthy fat that is a stable saturated fat full of goodness such as vitamins A, D, E & K along with unique fatty acids such as CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid).

Here’s an overview of some of the bioavailable goodness contained within Beef Tallow.

    •    Vitamin A: Tallow has more Vitamin A than muscle meat and bone marrow . Vitamin A is essential for cell differentiation, skin and eye health and immune system function

    •    Vitamin D: Plays a role in calcium absorption. Stimulates cells differentiation. Immune system health. It is thought over 50% of the UK population is deficient in Vitamin D

    •    Vitamin E: Potent antioxidant. Prevents LDL from getting oxidized. Vitamin E intake tends to be lower in Alzheimer’s patients

    •    Vitamin K: Cofactor of binding to calcium, which helps prevent artery calcification. Activation of MGP which inhibits calcification. Increased Vitamin K intake is associated with lower rates of heart disease

    •    Many fatty acids, including palmitoleic acid, an antimicrobial fat, omega 3s and omega 6s along with CLA.


Why is CLA so good?

Tallow is rich in CLA or conjugated linoleic acid which is a fatty acid that studies suggest can support and healthy metabolism and assist with fat burning.

There’s also some evidence (in animal models) that demonstrates that CLA also has an anti-inflammatory and immune-supporting properties, possibly even fighting growth of tumours, as does the fatty acid oleic acid (typically found in olive oil and avocado oil).

I have been told tallow is good for fat loss. Is this true?

Yes. The evidence is strengthening all the time that animal fats and in particular Beef Tallow has unique properties that assist with fat loss.

Isn't beef tallow full of unhealthy saturated fat?

Beef Tallow does contain approx  57% saturated fat.

However, saturated fat is beneficial to good health and longevity. 

Unfortunately, poor science and vested interests led to traditional fats that contain saturated fat to be demonised in favour of seed and vegetable oils for the last 40+ years.

Isn't saturated fat bad for us?

No! There have been many reports over the past few years suggesting the food guidelines may have been flawed over the past 40 years - who’d have thought…

In fact, many believe that saturated fat is essential for good health and may have longevity increasing benefits.

This can be explained a number of ways:

    •    Increased saturated fat intake tends to reduce processed carbohydrate consumption, which potentially is cause of heart disease

    •    Saturated fats tend to be higher in fat-soluble nutrients, Vitamins A, D, E and K. Increased Vitamin K intake is associated with lower rates of heart disease

    •    Reduced seed oil consumption

    •    Half of the fat in your brain is saturated. It is indispensable to cognitive function.

    •    Caprylic acid, a saturated fat, strengthens the immune system 

    •    Palmitoleic acid is highly anti-viral and anti-bacterial.

    •    Saturated fats help build hormones

    •    Cell membranes are 50% saturated fat

    •    Saturated fats increase HDL, the “good cholesterol”

    •    Scientists have now realized LDL particle size matters more than total LDL number. Diets high in saturated fat and low in carbs increase LDL size (which is a positive)

    •    High fat diets leads to ketosis and reduces oxidative stress and inflammation.

    •    Because saturated fats don’t have double bonds, they’re more resistant to oxidative damage 

    •    Saturated fats have a glycemic index of 0


Lastly, studies continue to debunk the myth that saturated fat causes heart disease. This review from 2014 looking at 78 studies, found no link at all between saturated fat and heart disease.

Authors conclusions: “The evidence did not clearly support cardiovascular guidelines that encouraged high consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids and low consumption of total saturated fats.”

What is the stearic acid content in your beef tallow?

Beef Tallow contains around 19% of stearic acid.

What fat is used to make your beef tallow?

We use the prized suet fat (from around the kidneys) from British Organically raised and grass fed cows.

If it’s not suet from the kidney area, then it isn’t truly Tallow!

How should I store beef tallow?

Once opened, store in a fridge. Please always use a clean spoon.

Should I use ghee or beef tallow?

Well, both fats are traditional animal based fats that have been used for centuries, if not millennia by our ancestors and traditional cultures around the world.

Both fats are incredible in their own right with unique properties and have a role to play in supporting your health along with your cooking and culinary adventures!

Tallow and Ghee have different taste profiles with Tallow being more neutral and earthy and won’t override the flavour of your dish, whereas Ghee has a more complex flavour with a beautiful creamy buttery taste with hints of caramel that impart a rich, deep flavour on dishes.

Is tallow better than avocado oil?

It really depends what you are using it for.

Can I use your beef tallow as a moisturiser on your body or face?

Absolutely! Many have reported incredible benefits from using tallow on their skin including treating conditions such as eczema and acne.  

Here’s why Tallow may benefit the skin…

Our cell membranes are made up of fatty acids. They are ~50% saturated fat. Tallow’s make up is almost identical, which nourishes cell membranes and keep your skin moisturised.

Sebum, the oily substance that moisturizes and protects the skin actually translates to tallow in latin. They are very similar in makeup with both being comprised of triglycerides.

A few more explanations:
    •    High-fat diets can reduce inflammation

    •    Higher fat diets reduce insulin, which is implicated in acne

    •    CLA is antiviral, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory

    •    Vitamin D and Vitamin E are antioxidants


What is tallow taste and texture like?

The best way to describe the taste of Tallow is like a subtle beefy flavoured butter. Tallow, when cooled, becomes a solid fat so can be spread on meats, veggies or cooked with by adding a nice chunk into a frying pan, roasting pan or into your baking as a butter replacement. 

Is your tallow 100% grass fed?

Whilst we cannot fully guarantee that the cows are never fed supplementary feed such as hay, silage (pasture grass that has been pickled through natural fermentation) or crop residue from home farms (arguably the most regenerative system available due to the cows upcycling abilities), we can guarantee they are never fed soya or GMO crops!

Unlike many other farming systems, organic cows spend much of their lives outdoors where they can graze naturally on a diet of grass and clover.
    •    By law, cows must be at pasture whenever conditions allow, over 200 days on average – ‘Zero-grazing’, where cows are kept indoors and fed cut grass or other feeds like soya, is banned under organic standards.

    •    When they must go indoors because of bad weather, all cows must be housed in well-bedded, spacious yards. 

    •    Organic cows eat mainly grass – organic standards require a minimum of 60% forage in their diets.

    •    As organic dairy cows are not given the same concentrated feed as many non-organic cows, they tend to have much better health and welfare!


Where is the tallow made?

Our Tallow is made here in the UK in a BRC AA certified organic facility that we have partnered with. It is made using a traditional method at low heat and only from the prized suet fat (unlike many other Beef Tallow and Dripping brands out there).

Studies

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/proceedings-of-the-nutrition-society/article/conjugated-linoleic-acid-cla-effect-on-body-weight-and-body-composition-in-women-systematic-review-and-metaanalysis/4F870D8308069F5800A3E149BD5CA88D

https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article-abstract/81/4/397/6680451

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9794145/#:~:text=For%20the%202020%20guidelines%2C%20the,disease%20%5B33%E2%96%AA%E2%96%AA%5D.

https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/15/1111