A.   Monounsaturated fats have only one double bond in their carbon chain (hence the term "mono"), while polyunsaturated have two, three or more of these bonds ("poly" means many). Understanding this difference in their structure will help us understand the role they have in our health.

Olive oil for dipping? Avocado, hummus or peanut butter? The debate rages as to what’s the healthiest spread for your daily (wholegrain) bread. Here’s my 7 healthiest alternatives to butter and margarine depending if you want sweet or savoury options or just want to grab something quick.

Over 70 per cent of Australians want to know more about what's in their meals when eating out, including nutrition and transparency of ingredients, according the a new survey entitled the "World Menu Report".

Sushi for lunch? Linguine marinara for dinner? Or Thai red curry? In our multi-cultural world, visit any food court and in two minutes, you'll walk by Chinese, Lebanese, Japanese, Mexican, Thai and Italian outlets. They can be good or bad, depending on the chef. But if you're after healthier offerings, there are three cuisines that always get the tick of approval from nutritionists.

Anywhere in the world, you'll always find an Italian restaurant with its check tablecloths and straw bottles of wine. Italian food rates as one of the most popular cuisines and nutritionally it's one of the best for you. It's a cuisine that suits our warm Australian climate. And it's easy to produce at home with minimal effort thanks to its strong flavours - from garlic, tomatoes, olives, basil, oregano and capsicum.

Greek cooking is tangy and flavoursome, robust peasant food at its best. If you choose carefully, it can also be a healthy meal out that's kind to your heart and your waistline. Check out what's good and what's not from my pointers.

Switch to the Mediterranean Diet and live a longer and healthier life. It's one that perfectly suits a warm sunny climate with its salads, easy vegetable dishes, seafood and fresh fruit to finish. You'll find it easy to prepare and delicious  to eat - and it never goes out of fashion.