While Howie's criticism of the study as being fairly worthless is convincing, the general extreme dismissal of the Mediterranean diet in the introduction is not justified in what he says. Surely the Mediterranean diet compared with the macburger/packaged/processed foods diet of the average junk food consumer in the US is relatively beneficial, as outlined in Wikipedia. Where is the proof that it is so bad for the heart, and relative to what? To a pure vegan diet, is that what is meant?

Exactly. Why oh why are we such a nation of FADS? What should be basic common sense when it comes to what we put into our mouths, we turn into fads. Remember the '80's when Pasta was first discovered? You couldn't switch on a radio/TV or pick up a paper or magazine without seeing 1001 ways of preparing pasta - "and it's good for you" was the hysterical mantra. NO IT ISN'T. It's processed, it isn't a whole grain even if it may be processed with a whole grain. I embrace the sentiment of Neal Barnard and other scientists in that we shouldn't be consuming processed fats such as olive oil. Get fat from eating whole nuts, seeds, avocado's etc. A whole foods plant based diet is good sound common sense and helps keep us away from the profiteering medical conglomerate.