Health research in 2021 was dominated by the Covid-19 epidemic, which gave new focus to researchers to explore dietary and nutritional answers to the outbreak. It soon became clear that the epidemic had a lot to do with a poor diet of processed food; the virus singled out the obese and those who suffer from chronic health problems such as heart disease and diabetes, which are also associated with a poor diet.
Here are our highlights of research discoveries during the year that gave new insights into the foods we eat. Although only a small handful looked specifically at the impact of a good diet on Covid, it’s clear that nutrition is one of the key shapers of a strong immune system and so, by default, our best defense against the virus.
Don’t be too upset if your own favorite superfood or drink isn’t included (and certainly don’t stop consuming them), it’s just that they probably weren’t researched in 2021.
#1 Superfood of the Year
The mushroom
It surprised us too—but new studies show that the humble mushroom packs a big health punch. Instead of having it teetering off the edge of the plate, proudly put it center stage.
For one, it’ll halve your chances of getting cancer. People who eat 18 grams of mushrooms—roughly equivalent to four teaspoons—each day reduce their cancer risk by 45 percent. It doesn’t seem to matter much which type of mushroom you eat as they all have a similar protective effect, say researchers from Penn State College of Medicine.1
They’re certainly a superfood, especially because they contain ergothioneine, a powerful antioxidant that protects against cancer, and mushrooms are the richest dietary source around, said lead researcher Djibril Ba.
He and his colleagues analyzed 17 cancer studies that involved more than 19,500 cancer patients. Those who ate mushrooms daily had the greatest protection, and although shiitake, oyster, maitake and king oyster had the highest levels of ergothioneine, all types of mushrooms seemed to have a similar protective effect.
Mushrooms are good for your mental wellbeing, too. They appear to be able to lift your spirits and make you less anxious. The same team of researchers analyzed the health of around 24,000 adults who were tracked for 11 years to 2016 and found that those who ate mushrooms were less likely to suffer from depression.2 It could be because ergothioneine and other antioxidants in the fungi lower the risk of oxidative stress—a precursor of depression—while they’re also rich in potassium, which lowers anxiety.
Oh yes, and mushrooms even lower your risk for an early death, the researchers add.
1. Adv Nutr, 2021; nmab015
2. J Affect Disord,
