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With all the bad press fat has gotten over the last couple of decades, most Americans have concluded that just limiting fats makes a diet healthy. This was a major mistake. While limiting saturated fat (meat- and dairy-derived) and avoiding trans fats (manmade hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils) as completely as possible is important, the Mediterranean oils, including olive oil and omega-3 fish oils, appear to be good for both our blood vessels and our waistlines.

There is no advantage to low-fat diet dressings that substitute sugars and starches for healthful oils. Along with a healthy oil, the vinegar in vinaigrette and oil-and-vinegar dressings is acidic and helps slow digestion. This lowers the glycemic index of the whole meal. Remember that nuts are also excellent sources of good fats and have been shown to help prevent heart attacks and strokes.