Low-fat diets are sometimes touted as the healthiest way to eat, but that’s an old-fashioned idea. It’s also bad activism on behalf of vegan diets. Even people who are strongly motivated often find it difficult to eliminate animal products from their diet. So why make it harder with additional restrictions on fat?

A Mediterranean-style vegan diet is one that is likely to appeal to many more people than a low fat regimen. It offers a chance to eat healthfully, humanely, and deliciously. Mediterranean diets are based on grains like pasta, rice and bread, fresh vegetables and fruits, and legumes—and also nuts and seeds, olives and olive oil. A little bit of good-for-you fat like olive oil intensifies flavors in foods and helps create appealing texture. Cooking with moderate amounts of oil can actually help you eat more healthfully since it improves the flavor of nutritious foods like vegetables and beans.

Fat also makes meals more satisfying. Some research shows that adding moderate amounts of fat to menus helps people achieve long-term weight loss. It also improves blood lipid values. And nuts and seeds are also healthful foods that contribute nutrients and phytochemicals to the diet.

Roasted eggplant; chickpeas baked with garlic, olive oil and tomatoes; creamy hummus in pita pockets; and pilaf flavored with dried fruits and toasted nuts. These are some of the wonderful foods that make Mediterranean diets among the most healthful in the world. And they are vegan!