Eating green have you feeling blue?

According to a new study by Brazilian researchers published in the Journal of Affective Disorders vegetarians experience depressive episodes twice as frequently as meat eaters.

Researchers studied 14,216 participants ranging in ages from 35-74. They were evaluated using the Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised instrument, a tool used to diagnose common mental health disorders. Vegetarians were found to have double the number of depressive episodes as meat eaters during the time frame.

“Depressive episodes are more prevalent in individuals who do not eat meat, independently of socioeconomic and lifestyle factors,” the study concluded. “Nutrient deficiencies do not explain this association. The nature of the association remains unclear, and longitudinal data are needed to clarify causal relationship.”