We’ve all come across advice on how to extend our lifespan, typically involving a good night’s rest, regular physical activity, and a balanced diet.
However, one Italian woman who reached 117 years of age shared a unique daily dietary habit she believed was key to her longevity.
Emma Morano, born in 1899, lived until 2016. During her lifetime, she experienced three centuries, two World Wars, nearly twelve decades, and more than 90 Italian governments.
Reaching 117 years old is exceptionally rare, with only 12 verified cases of people achieving such an age according to historical records.
Morano led a long, fulfilling life, following a simple regimen involving a strict diet and avoiding romantic entanglements.
She was married once, but separated in 1938, a year after her only child tragically died at six months.
Emma decided to remain single afterward, attributing part of her longevity to the decision, as she expressed her desire to remain independent, saying she “didn’t want to be dominated by anyone.”
Her secret wasn’t tied to trendy dietary choices like morning cucumbers or daily green juice but boiled down to one staple: eggs.
Emma disclosed her routine of consuming three eggs—two raw—every day for over 90 years, a habit she picked up after being diagnosed with anemia post-WWI.
Despite the focus on eggs, Morano also admitted to enjoying grappa, a traditional Italian alcoholic drink.
She shared: “I eat three eggs a day and to digest I drink the grappa that I prepare myself: I put it in a jar with seven sage leaves, a bunch of rue grass and some grapes. Then I drink it with a spoon.”
According to her long-term physician, Carlo Bava, who spoke with AFP, Morano seldom consumed fruits or vegetables, suggesting the eggs were indeed a significant factor in her longevity.
Dr. Bava noted: “When I met her, she ate three eggs per day, two raw in the morning and then an omelet at noon, and chicken at dinner.”
In her later years, just before her passing in 2016, Emma reduced her egg consumption but still maintained two eggs daily, supplementing them with a few biscuits.
While eggs might have played a role in her impressive lifespan, genetics likely also contributed, as longevity ran in her family. Her mother lived to 91, and several of her sisters celebrated their centennial milestones.