Dietary Fats

Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble, meaning they can only be digested, absorbed, and transported in conjunction with fats. Fats are sources of essential fatty acids, an important dietary requirement.

Fats play a vital role in maintaining healthy skin and hair, insulating body organs against shock, maintaining body temperature, and promoting healthy cell function. They also serve as energy stores for the body. Fats are broken down in the body to release glycerol and free fatty acids. The glycerol can be converted to glucose by the liver and thus used as a source of energy. (Wikipedia)

As water, mineral matter, and protein yield the materials required for building and repairing the tissues, the body also requires foods that produce energy or working power.

By far the greater part of the total solids of food taken into the body serve this purpose, and of these fats form a large percentage.

Generally overconsumed, it contributes to overweight and is linked to heart disease and certain cancers. Fats supply 37 kilojoules per gram.

While it is nearly impossible to remove fat completely from the diet, it would be wrong to do so. Some fatty acids are essential nutrients, meaning that they can't be produced in the body from other compounds and need to be consumed in small amounts. All other fats required by the body are non-essential and can be produced in the body from other compounds.