Skip to content
For decades, Americans were advised to avoid animal fats. Ingredients like butter, full-fat dairy, red meat, and beef tallow were gradually replaced by low-fat and highly processed alternatives that promised better health outcomes. However, recent changes in federal nutrition guidance have begun to reshape that long-standing narrative.
Under updated dietary guidance released during the administration of President Trump, traditional foods that were once discouraged are no longer automatically viewed as unhealthy. Instead, the emphasis has shifted toward moderation, whole foods, and ingredient transparency. As a result, traditional fats like tallow are once again part of the broader nutrition conversation.
This shift reflects a growing recognition that food quality, sourcing, and processing matter just as much as nutrient labels — and that entirely avoiding traditional fats may have been too simplistic.
A Shift in Federal Nutrition Guidance
During the Trump administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) introduced revised dietary guidance that moved away from blanket restrictions on animal fats. While moderation is still encouraged, the updated framework no longer discourages traditional foods outright.
The revised approach focuses on:
- Reducing ultra-processed foods
- Encouraging whole, real ingredients
- Supporting flexibility and balance
- Emphasizing practical, real-world nutrition
This isn’t a dismissal of past nutrition concerns, but a refinement based on evolving understanding and consumer behavior.
Why Traditional Fats Were Avoided for So Long
Beginning in the late 20th century, fat — especially saturated fat from traditional sources — was broadly categorized as something to limit. In response, many home cooks and food manufacturers replaced animal fats with refined seed oils and low-fat products.
Over time, however, researchers and consumers began to question whether this strategy actually delivered better results. While the intention was to improve public health, the shift also coincided with increased consumption of highly processed foods and oils.
As nutrition guidance continues evolving, the conversation is shifting from avoidance to evaluation.
The National Conversation Is Evolving
This renewed discussion around traditional foods reflects broader cultural and nutritional shifts. Consumers increasingly want transparency about what they eat and use. They are asking questions like:
- Where does this ingredient come from?
- How was it processed?
- Why was it originally discouraged?
A recent article on Fox News highlights this trend, noting that foods Americans were told to avoid for decades — including full-fat dairy, butter, and traditional animal fats — are now being reconsidered under updated nutrition rules:
This reevaluation does not suggest unlimited consumption. Rather, it emphasizes context, sourcing, and moderation as part of a broader, more balanced approach to nutrition.
Tallow in the Kitchen: A Traditional Cooking Fat
Long before modern food processing, beef tallow was a staple cooking fat across the United States. It was valued for its stability at high heat, long shelf life, and neutral flavor. Home cooks used tallow for frying, roasting, and everyday cooking — not because it was fashionable, but because it worked.
Today, tallow is once again being discussed as a practical cooking fat that fits into a balanced, whole-food approach. Unlike many refined oils, properly rendered tallow doesn’t contain artificial additives and remains stable under heat.
As nutritional guidance moves away from fear-based food rules, traditional fats like tallow are being reconsidered as viable options when used intentionally.
Tallow Beyond the Kitchen: Skin Care Applications
Tallow has a long history of use in soaps, balms, and skin care products. Traditionally, it was prized for providing lasting moisture without synthetic fillers. Today, many individuals interested in ingredient simplicity and transparency are rediscovering tallow for skin care.
Modern tallow-based skin products are often chosen for:
- Fewer ingredients
- Cleansable formulations
- Simplicity and transparency
This renewed interest aligns with a broader movement toward ingredient-first personal care.
Why Sourcing and Process Matter
Not all tallow is the same. Quality depends on how the source animals were raised and how the fat was rendered.
High-quality tallow for cooking or skin care typically comes from:
- Grass-fed and grass-finished, pasture-raised cattle
- Transparent sourcing
- Traditional rendering methods
- Small-batch production
These factors influence not only purity and consistency, but also how well the final product performs. Understanding the process behind tallow is just as important as understanding the ingredient itself.
Where Texas Gold Tallow Fits In
Texas Gold Tallow reflects this renewed emphasis on traditional methods and thoughtful sourcing. Using grass-fed and grass-finished, pasture-raised Texas beef, the brand focuses on small-batch rendering and clean ingredients for both cooking and skin care applications.
Rather than presenting tallow as a trend, Texas Gold Tallow approaches it as a return to established practices that prioritize quality. That philosophy aligns with both evolving nutrition guidance and consumer preferences for simplicity and transparency.
A Broader Return to Whole Foods
The renewed interest in tallow is part of a larger movement toward whole foods and practical nutrition. Instead of focusing on rigid restrictions, current guidance encourages balance, moderation, and informed decisions.
Traditional foods are not being romanticized. Instead, they’re being reassessed in a more thoughtful context — one that emphasizes where food comes from and how it fits into real-world diets.
Looking Ahead
As nutrition guidance continues to evolve, ingredients like tallow are likely to remain part of the conversation. The focus moving forward appears to be less about strict avoidance and more about understanding how traditional foods can be part of a balanced approach.
For those interested in exploring traditionally made tallow for cooking or skin care, learning about sourcing and process is an important first step.
👉 Explore traditionally crafted tallow products at: