World's oldest woman shares her secret to long life: Eating eggs and cookies
Emma Morano, an Italian woman who just celebrated her 117th birthday, revealed her secret to living so long that she's the last living person born in the 1800s: eggs and cookies.
Speaking to The Guardian a few weeks ago, Morano credited her longevity to an unusual diet: “I eat two eggs a day and that’s it. And cookies. But I do not eat much because I have no teeth."
And cookies were, indeed, on the menu on Tuesday as Morano celebrated her birthday at her home in Verbania, Italy, attended by her two elderly nieces, a pair of caregivers and her long-time physician.
You May Also Like
Instead of creating a small fire hazard with 117 candles, Morano's birthday cake was adorned simply with three candles. Believed to be the last person born in the 1800s (1899, to be exact), Morano became the oldest woman in the world in May when Susannah Mushatt Jones passed away at the age of 116.
(Take note, egg lovers: Ms. Jones also listed eggs as a regular dietary staple.)
Her life hasn't been easy. According to The Guardian, Morano's fiance died in World War I and she then was forced to marry an abusive husband she didn't love: "'Either you agree to marry me or I will kill you.' I was 26. We got married.” The couple had a son who died in infancy and Morano left her husband shortly after, in 1938.
She's also been dealing with health issues, including total deafness and increasing difficulty with vision.
But she was in good spirits on Tuesday, saying, "I am happy to turn 117." She was the recipient of several cakes and well-wishes from her mayor and even the president of Italy.
As for the eggs, her personal physician, Dr. Carlo Bava, was a bit more skeptical, saying Morano's long life has been due to her genetic makeup, "and nothing else."
Until he can prove otherwise, though, maybe it's a good time to buy some eggs.
Marcus Gilmer is Mashable's Assistant Real-Times News Editor on the West Coast, reporting on breaking news from his location in San Francisco. An Alabama native, Marcus earned his BA from Birmingham-Southern College and his MFA in Communications from the University of New Orleans. Marcus has previously worked for Chicagoist, The A.V. Club, the Chicago Sun-Times and the San Francisco Chronicle.
