A ''Western'' diet of deep-fried food, sugary drinks, alcohol and red meat has long been viewed as a recipe for poor health and shortened life-span. But a new study suggests that, when it comes to keeping the heart ticking over, it may not be so bad after all.A study of more than 15000 people found that, though a Mediterranean diet of fresh fish, fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, did lower the risk of a heart attack or stroke, eating a Western diet did not increase the risk."Greater consumption of foods thought to be less healthy and more typical of Western diets was not associated with an increase in these adverse events, which we had not expected."In fact, people who stuck mainly to a Mediterranean diet still had a lower risk of heart problems even when supplementing it with one or two portions of crisps, sweets, fizzy drinks, desserts or red meat each day.The researchers, from the University of Auckland, conclude that rather than avoid healthy foods, people should eat more healthy foods, because they appear to have a protective effect."The main message is that some foods - and particularly fruit and vegetables - seem to lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and this benefit is not explained by traditional risk factors such as good and bad cholesterol or blood pressure," said Ralph Stewart, from Auckland City Hospital, University of Auckland, New Zealand, who led the study."If you eat more of these foods in preference to others, you may lower your risk."The study found no evidence of harm from modest consumption of foods such as refined carbohydrates, deep-fried foods, sugars and desserts.The study, which was published in the European Heart Journal, appears to prove that balance is key to keeping healthy, while a bit of "what you fancy' is unlikely to do much harm. ..