FATS—THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE QUESTIONABLE Just banish fats from our diets and our weight loss challenge would be met. But it ain’t necessarily so. We actually need fat from food. It’s a major source of energy, provides essential fatty acids, and delivers fat-soluble vitamins and minerals. Fat is also necessary to build cell membranes and the sheaths surrounding nerves. There are several types of fat. Fats found in foods from plants and animals are known as dietary fat, a macronutrient. Your body can also make its own fat from taking in excess calories; If you eat more than...