https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28814399/
Fat-soluble nutrients, including vitamins A, D, E, and K along with carotenoids like lutein, beta-carotene, and lycopene, require dietary fat to be absorbed, and without it, a meaningful portion of these compounds passes through the digestive system largely unused.
This latest bit of published research is interesting in that the measured 3 fat-soluble vitamin families (vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin E) absorption rates in relationship to fat ingestion along vegetables. While there are individual differences, the results confirm what previous studies have already shown, namely that fat-soluble vitamins in particular are absorbed at a much higher rate when vegetables are combined with some amount of fat. It does not have to be a lot of fat to be exact, but the presence of fact seems to be pretty crucial for maximizing nutrient status of those essential fat-soluble vitamins. My only and strident criticism of the study is that soybean oil is by far not the oil of choice to add to your vegetable, due to its highly chemically processed nature and polyunsaturated unstable chemical structure. The good news is that most people really do prefer the taste of vegetable when there is alittle bit of added olive oil to their raw vegetables and a little bit of melted butter to their lightly cooked vegetables. This kind of nutritional research that confirms the natural inclination of our taste buds is always welcome.
