It would be prudent to mention that small quantities of fat are required
for the proper absorption of some minerals. Dairy fats are an example of
this. Calcium is poorly absorbed when it is not mixed with small
quantities of appropriate types of fat. Dairy fats are well-suited for
this role (surprise!) which is one of the reasons it is often better to
drink 1-2% lowfat milk than non-fat. I have a relative who was a strict
vegan, but was required by her doctor to ingest small quantities of dairy
fats because her body could not adequately absorbing the calcium she was
ingesting both as supplements and in her food. She started drinking lowfat
milk which subsequently fixed the problem.
There are a few other minerals which are also require minimal amounts of
fat for maximum effectiveness. Fatty molecules serve many useful purposes
in the body and are a required part of the diet. The real question isn't
if you should ingest fat, it is what is an appropriate quantity and what
types. The "all fat is bad" meme is incorrect, or at least misleading.
-James Rogers
jamesr@best.com