In 2025, the misinformation surrounding seed oils continues to spread—with public figures like RFK Jr. now promoting beef tallow as a “healthier” alternative. But the scientific data tell a different, consistent story.
A new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine (March 2025) examined dietary patterns and health outcomes in over 221,000 U.S. adults over 33 years.
The findings were clear:
- Higher butter consumption was linked to a 15% increase in overall mortality.
- Higher intake of plant-based oils (olive, canola, soybean) was associated with a 16% reduction in mortality.
- Replacing just 10g of butter daily with plant-based oil reduced total mortality by 17%, with similar reductions in cancer-related deaths.
These results reinforce existing public health recommendations: favour unsaturated fats from plants over saturated fats like butter and tallow.
Promoting beef tallow in 2025 is not innovation—it’s lobbying dressed as health advice.
Source: Zhang et al. JAMA Intern Med. Published online March 6, 2025. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.0205
