It might sound too good to be true but adopting a diet that advocates eating cheese, bread, rice, potatoes and pork — washed down with a glass of red wine — could be a good move for your long-term health.

A study published last week found that a diet based on the eating habits of people living in northwestern Spain and Portugal — known as the Atlantic diet — can reduce belly fat, high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The risk of heart disease and diabetes is also lowered. Increasingly, there’s a buzz around the diet among nutritionists and scientists. Other studies have suggested that it may even reduce depression and increase longevity.

For the latest study, published in the Jama Network Open journal by