As veggie burger lovers and creators, you can expect that we’re fully embracing National Nutrition Month! Our health is the most important thing we have in our lives, and we believe it all starts with our food choices. What we eat has a direct impact on our well-being, and nutrition plays a vital role in not only our longevity, but our quality of life and how happy we are mentally and physically! 

Good Food Protects Your Brain 

Various studies in the past decade have shown that our brain functions according to the quality of food we feed it. The bacteria in our gut come with neural pathways that travel to the brain. For example, insulin hormones stimulate a molecular process that gives us the ability to learn, control our moods, and acquire new memories, according to the National Library of Medicine. 

According to Harvard Medical School, low-quality food that’s high in saturated fats and refined sugars actually impairs brain function and reduces its ability to protect us from free radicals and inflammation. Since our gray matter takes in so much oxygen and has such a high metabolism, it is extremely vulnerable to damage from free radicals that increase cognitive decline. That’s why nutrition is so important when it comes to the quality of brain function as well as its longevity. 

When we consistently fuel our brain with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, we protect ourselves from the oxidation that reduces our mental function over time. Incorporating foods like whole grains, lentils, and veggies (all found in NoBull Burger!) into our daily diet actually normalizes our cognitive functions and prevents us from impairment in the long run, per the National Library of Medicine. 

Nutrition Directly Impacts Your Mood 

While some of you may already be aware of this from personal experience, science backs up how our emotional and mental health is directly related to the nutrients in our diets. According to Harvard Medical School, food can either improve or exacerbate mood disorders like anxiety and depression, which is often related to our serotonin levels. 

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that regulates a number of ways we feel good, like pain, sleep, appetite, and overall mood. It might seem surprising, but 95% of serotonin comes from the gastrointestinal tract. This means food is pretty much the boss of how we feel overall. 

The neurons in our gut use serotonin to guide our emotions— so even though foods like lean meats and processed sugar can immediately deliver serotonin to our noggin for immediate happy feelings, they can lead to inflammation which is often linked to mental health disorders like depression, according to Cambridge University.

Other low-nutrient foods like saturated fats also reduce the molecules that support our mental processing power, which in turn increases our risk of neurological dysfunctions, according to the National Library of Medicine. Eating nutritious foods that support your gut health will boost your serotonin levels naturally without creating inflammation. Bring on the fruits, veggies, nuts and whole grains! 

Nutrient-Rich Diets Improve Agricultural Practices 

According to the U.S Department of Agriculture, eating a nutrient-rich diet has a lower impact on our natural resources. These resources include the amount of land our food takes up, the energy and emissions involved in producing it, as well as the water it takes to make it all grow.  

Producing animal feed takes up the most land in the agriculture industry, which doesn’t include space for livestock itself. Animal-based foods take up 6 times more land than plant-based food. These massive plots also take significantly more machinery to maintain and process livestock than they would be plants. 

This creates a greater need for energy resources that eventually lead to greenhouse gas emissions. Not to pile onto the list, but livestock itself also creates around 20% of the world’s greenhouse gasses. Plants, however, absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, which creates a more sustainable system for their own greenhouse emissions. 

Plant-based farming also takes significantly less water for production than it does for animals. It takes about 1,800 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of beef. It takes less than 2 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of mushrooms. And nutritiously speaking, while mushrooms and beef actually share a lot of vitamins in common, ‘shrooms constrain far more essential vitamins and minerals than cattle can provide. 

NoBull Burgers Are Delicious and Nutritious!

NoBull Burgers are the veggie burgers that make it easy to opt for over beef. Every burger comes with a perfect mash-up of lentils, whole grains, and vegetables that are seasoned to perfection. Our delicious, non-GMO certified ingredients will change the way you look at plant-based recipes, making it easier to eat healthier and live happier.