Beef was the only food associated with a reduced risk of depression in research involving 440,000 British participants.

If the notion of a salad depresses you, eating a juicy burger is the greatest way to brighten up, according to research.

According to a study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, the protective effect may be due to nutrients found in beef, such as iron and B vitamins, which are known to aid brain function.

The team of psychiatrists from National Taiwan University, Massachusetts General Hospital, and other centers stated, “This is the first study to indicate a prospective, favorable causal effect of beef consumption on risk reduction.”

They said, “We observed that a higher beef consumption may be protective against major depressive disorder.”

The researchers examined data from 440,000 individuals in the UK Biobank database and from 45,000 depressed individuals.

They analyzed data on which genes were connected with beef consumption and then assessed whether the same genes were also associated with depression risk. The consumption of non-oily fish was linked to an increased incidence of depressive disease.

Beef includes elements that may aid in the prevention of depression, including zinc, iron, B vitamins, and protein, according to the researchers, but it is unclear how beef could be protective.