Health Tip: Why Your Body Needs Fat

(HealthDay News) -- While many people try to avoid fats in an effort to lose weight, certain fats are healthy and necessary.

Womenshealth.gov explains these essential functions of fat:

• Fat provides an energy source.
• Fat helps your body absorb vitamins from the foods that you eat.
• Healthier unsaturated fats include: olive oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil and canola oil.
• Limit unhealthy saturated fats, found in red meats, butter and whole milk.