Extra virgin olive oil , the darling of the top-rated Mediterranean diet, not only imparts a silky lusciousness to foods, but has emerged as a superfood in scientific studies. Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine, The BMJ and The Journal of American College of Cardiology all link increased extra virgin olive oil consumption with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and other major maladies. The Food and Drug Administration recommends two tablespoons per day for health benefits.

So, we should pour it on, right?

Not so fast, according to Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn , a cardiovascular surgeon and author of the 2008 book Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease. Esselstyn, who was featured in the documentary Forks Over Knives , has prescribed an oil-free, whole-food, plant-based diet for patients with severe heart disease.

And whether you call it a whole-food, plant-based diet, WFPB, or a Forks Over Knives diet, Esselstyn is adamant: No oil. Consuming oil, he asserts even extra virgin olive oil damages the endothelial cells regulating blood flow.

You want healthy, happy endothelial cells? Give up oil, Esselstyn believes.

So whos right?

Heres why Esselstyn suggests avoiding oil

Esselstyn isnt banning oil to be a killjoy. Hes basing it on a 1990 study, as well as his own findings published in a journal article titled A Way to Reverse CAD (coronary artery disease). Both studies found that oil consumption reduces flow-mediated vasodilation doc talk for slowing blood flow.

Oil-free is not the same as fat-free. Fat is one of the macronutrients our bodies need for optimal function, and Esselstyn isnt suggesting cutting out all fats. Instead, Esselstyn and his peers, including Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. T. Colin Campbell, say fats should come from whole foods that are rich in healthy fats, like avocado, nuts and seeds. That gives you both fat and beneficial dietary fiber.

Fiber helps us regulate digestion and absorption, nutritionist Jay Ziebart said. Most Americans fall woefully short of getting the U.S. Department of Agricultures recommended daily allowance of fiber .

No ones disputing olive oils rich flavor. Some oil-free advocates even say thats the problem that olive oil makes food taste so good it encourages overeating. Numerous studies contradict that, suggesting a little olive oil helps you feel full .

Ziebart said that for her clients, most of whom have been struggling for many years to lose weight and take back their health, oil is just not worth it.

Ziebart and Forks Over Knives offer easy swaps. Water or vegetable broth replace olive oil in cooking, even sauting, and applesauce or mashed banana are substitutes in baking. They offer recipes, including oil-free lasagna. Not appealing? Neither is heart surgery, Esselstyn would argue. Health is one of the main reasons people embrace oil-free WFPB eating.

Heres where the Mediterranean diet and Forks Over Knives tribes agree

Both camps believe that processed food does your body no favors. The healthiest foods are minimally processed whole foods produce, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds.