Without fats, where would these vitamins be?

The other day, I wrote on imparting to children the knowledge of food and its nutrients. In it, I mentioned the importance of fat to our body.

Perhaps, some may wonder about this importance as many are advised to cut down on fat, eating more lean meat. That is not wrong. However, it does not mean that fat is not necessary to our health. (Later, in another post I would like to pass on further information in which I would like to point out that it is not fat which is the cause of obesity; in fact, the culprit is too much carbohydrates.)

Take for example such nutrients as vitamins. With out fat in our diet, Vitamin A,D,E and K would not have been able to be absorbed into the blood stream from the food intestines.

So, without fats, vitamin A cannot be absorbed. What a great loss that would be. It can result in vitamin A deficiency such as night-blindness and keratomalacia.

Those with night-blindness, unable to see well at night, ought to understand that taking vitamin A supplement without it being accompanied by a meal with fats will not help.

Keratomalacia is an eye disorder. this disorder leads to a dry cornea. Vitamin A deficiency is a cause.

Without fats to help in its absorption into the bloodstream, Vitamin D is lost. Of course, we are fortunate to have our body manufacture its own vitamin D with the assistance from sunlight. So, people in the tropics are able to obtain sufficient vitamin D. But, in other countries, with the few hours of very mild sun, people ought to be more careful as vitamin D is so important to our health.

Deficiency of vitamin D can cause rickets which is a softening of the bones, especially in children, which can cause fractures and deformity. Rickets can also be caused by a lack of calcium.

Vitamin E, the important antioxidant, is another vitamin which is fat soluble. It is rare to find deficiency problems but mild hemolytic anemia which is due to the abnormal breakdown of red blood cells may occur in newborn infants.

Vitamin K is important for its blood clotting properties. Vitamin K deficiency can lead to bleeding diathesis which is an unusual susceptibility to bleeding as a result of an inabilty for the blood to coagulate or clot. Vitamin K is available in food such as Brussels sprouts and spinach. So, have some oil or fat in your meals so that vitamin K in food can be absorbed into the body.

As further information on vitamin K, babies are given vitamin K injections to prevent a bleeding disorder known as VDBD.

Thus, fats do have their roles to play in our health.