A new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology has found that following a Mediterranean diet helps promote heart health.

According to Reuters, researchers at the Catalan Institute of Oncology in Barcelona, Spain, followed more than 40,000 adults for an average of 10 years to gauge the benefits of the diet, which is high in olive oil, plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole-grain cereals, nuts and seeds as well as fish.

Participants provided information on what and how much they ate. They also had body measurements taken and were asked about behaviors such as smoking and physical activity, as well as medical history.

Researchers say that individuals who closely followed the Mediterranean diet were 40 percent less likely to suffer from a heart disease-related event than those who did not follow the diet.

Previous studies have shown that the Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of death in people who’ve had a heart attack, curb the risk of stroke and boost survival in people living with heart disease.

The American Heart Association (AHA) says that the diet, which varies between the 16 countries that border the Mediterranean Sea, is close to its dietary recommendations. However, the AHA notes that the diet is often higher in fat than other eating plans, which could contribute to weight gain.