Does your diet prohibit all of your favorites? Then take a trip to the Mediterranean. Dieting doesn't have to be about deprivation, especially when you follow a Mediterranean-style way of eating. There's not one "particular" Mediterranean diet, but they all emphasize fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, seeds, bread, dairy, fish, poultry and wine. Olive oil is the primary source of fat, offering the healthful monounsaturated kind - salmon also offers omega-3s. These fats don't raise blood cholesterol levels the way saturated fat does. The diet is naturally high in fiber, which promotes colon health and good digestion. In addition to weight loss, a Mediterranean diet also prevents heart disease and has been shown to increase lifespan. The incidence of heart disease and high cholesterol is lower in Mediterranean countries, but the lower rates are not due to diet alone.