Avocado Oil vs Tallow: Making the Best Choice for Your Lifestyle

Hey, foodies and healthy fat enthusiasts! Here at Jackson's, we're obsessed with ingredients. Not just any ingredients, but the best quality, most wholesome, and totally delicious ones we can find. That's why we said a firm "no thanks" to inflammatory seed oils from day one and a resounding "YES!" to incredible, nutrient-rich fats.

Today, we're diving into a comparison of two fantastic fats that often come up in healthy eating circles: Beef Tallow and Avocado Oil. Both are champions in our book for being seed oil-free and boasting some impressive benefits. Let's break them down!

The Lowdown on Beef Tallow: A Traditional Powerhouse

First up, beef tallow. What exactly is it? Simply put, tallow is rendered beef fat. Think of it as the original cooking fat, used for generations before industrial seed oils became widespread.

Why it's awesome:

•  Rich in History & Flavor: Tallow has a rich, savory flavor that can elevate dishes. It's been a culinary staple for centuries for a reason!

•  Stable at High Heat: It has a high smoke point (around 480°F/250°C), making it great for frying and roasting without breaking down into harmful compounds.

•  Nutrient Profile: Good quality tallow, especially from grass-fed cows, can contain fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K, plus conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has been linked to various health benefits.

•  Naturally Seed Oil-Free: This is a big one for us! It fits perfectly into a diet aimed at reducing inflammation.

•  Anti-inflammatory Potential: By replacing inflammatory seed oils and providing stable saturated fats, tallow can be part of an anti-inflammatory eating pattern.

A little Jackson's history: When our founders were first tinkering in their home kitchen, dreaming up the perfect, crispy sweet potato chip, tallow was one of the traditional fats they experimented with. They loved its stability, the incredible flavor it imparted, and its inherent anti-inflammatory properties as a seed oil-free fat!

Shining a Light on Avocado Oil: The Versatile Virtuoso

Now, let's talk about the glorious goodness that is avocado oil! This is the star player in our Jackson's snacks, and for very good reasons. It's pressed from the fleshy pulp surrounding the avocado pit.

Why we adore it (and use it!):

•  Super High Smoke Point: Avocado oil boasts one of the highest smoke points of all cooking oils (refined avocado oil can be upwards of 500°F/260°C!). This makes it absolutely perfect for achieving that signature Jackson's crunch without compromising the oil's integrity.

•  Neutral Flavor: Unlike the distinct taste of tallow, avocado oil has a mild, neutral flavor that lets the natural deliciousness of our sweet potatoes and other ingredients shine through.

•  Heart-Healthy Fats: It's packed with monounsaturated fats, particularly oleic acid, which is celebrated for its heart-health benefits.

•  Rich in Antioxidants: Avocado oil contains Vitamin E and lutein, antioxidants that help fight oxidative stress.

•  Naturally Seed Oil-Free (of course!): Check and check!

•  Anti-inflammatory Superstar: Those lovely monounsaturated fats and antioxidants contribute to its anti-inflammatory properties, helping to keep things cool and calm in the body.

•  Vegan-Friendly: This is a huge reason why avocado oil is our go-to. We want everyone to be able to enjoy Jackson's chips, and avocado oil allows us to create a delicious, high-quality snack that fits vegan and vegetarian lifestyles.

Related: Highly Inflammatory Foods and Lower Inflammation Options

Tallow vs. Avocado Oil: The Similarities and Differences

So, how do they stack up side-by-side?

Where they align:

•  Seed Oil-Free Champions: Both are fantastic alternatives to highly processed seed oils.

•  High Heat Heroes: Both can handle high cooking temperatures, making them versatile in the kitchen.

•  Anti-inflammatory Allies: By nature of being seed oil-free and possessing their own unique beneficial compounds, both can support an anti-inflammatory lifestyle.

• Relatively Low in PUFAs (Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids): Compared to many common seed oils which are high in PUFAs (especially omega-6) that can be unstable and prone to oxidation, both tallow and avocado oil contain significantly lower levels. This makes them more stable for cooking and a better choice for reducing potential inflammation linked to excessive PUFA intake from less healthy sources.

Where they differ:

•  Source: Animal (tallow) vs. Plant (avocado oil). This is the main differentiator for dietary choices like veganism.

•  Flavor Profile: Rich and beefy (tallow) vs. Neutral and mild (avocado oil).

•  Primary Fat Type: Tallow is predominantly saturated fat, while avocado oil is predominantly monounsaturated fat. Both types have their place in a balanced diet!

•  Specific Nutrients: Tallow brings fat-soluble vitamins (especially if grass-fed), while avocado oil offers Vitamin E and specific phytonutrients like lutein.

Why Avocado Oil Wins for Jackson's

While our founders had great fun experimenting with tallow in the early days (and we still think it's a fantastic healthy fat!), avocado oil is the perfect partner for Jackson's snacks.

Its neutral flavor ensures our carefully sourced sweet potatoes are the star of the show. Its incredibly high smoke point is ideal for creating consistently crispy, never-greasy chips, resulting in that perfect crunch we all love. And, crucially, its plant-based origin means our snacks are accessible and enjoyable for our vegan friends and anyone looking to incorporate more plant-based goodness into their diet.

Plus, knowing it’s packed with those healthy monounsaturated fats and is naturally anti-inflammatory makes us feel great about every bag we produce!

The Takeaway: Choose Your Fat Wisely!

Both beef tallow and avocado oil are excellent choices when you're looking for healthy, stable fats to cook with and enjoy – especially when you're committed to avoiding inflammatory seed oils. The "best" one for you in your home kitchen might depend on your dietary preferences (vegan vs. omnivore), the flavor profile you're aiming for, and the specific nutrients you're seeking.

For us at Jackson's, avocado oil hits all the right notes, allowing us to deliver the delicious, crispy, and wholesome snacks you know and love. So, next time you crunch into a Jackson's chip, you can feel good knowing it’s cooked in one of the best, most thoughtful oils around!

Read next: Seed oil vs Animal Fat