Maria Branyas Morera was the oldest person on earth when she passed away in 2024 and it’s now been suggested that one food may have played a role in her longevity
A common supermarket food could be the key to the longevity of a 117-year-old woman who survived wars, pandemics, and even a bout of Covid in her later years, it has been suggested. Supercentenarian Maria Branyas Morera was the oldest person on the planet when she died in 2024, reaching the age of 117 and a half, but before she passed away, she asked doctors to study her in an effort to “help others”.
This would lead to an examination of her biological profile by doctors in Spain, where Maria relocated when she was eight years old, having been born in San Francisco in 1907.
It was carried out by a team of scientists, including researchers from the University of Barcelona and Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, who collected samples from Maria and examined her cells and genetics.
Dr Manel Esteller, the principal investigator on the study, told The Times: “The common rule is that as we age we become sicker but she was an exception and we wanted to understand why. For the first time, we’ve been able to separate being old from being sick.”
Dr Esteller added: “We can develop drugs to reproduce the effects of good genes. Maria’s parents gave her very good genes, but we cannot choose our parents.”
Despite Maria leading an undoubtedly healthy life, avoiding alcohol and cigarettes, not being overweight, and having an active social life, the researchers also expressed an interest in a specific food she enjoyed three times a day.
Maria was a fan of yoghurt, particularly the Spanish probiotic variety La Fageda, which reportedly contains inflammation-fighting bacteria. Additionally, she consumed a cereal-packed smoothie each morning, containing eight different cereal varieties.
A PhD student from the institute, Eloy Santos, explained to The Daily Telegraph that her high-fibre intake served as food for beneficial gut bacteria, helping them thrive.
Over the course of the study, researchers discovered that Maria had low inflammation levels and genetic variants related to cholesterol and lipid metabolism, which are associated with a longer lifespan.
The possible health advantages of yoghurt are widely recognised. Brimming with protein and essential nutrients, including calcium and B vitamins, certain varieties might even provide a boost to digestive health.
One possible benefit of consuming yoghurt is that it may bolster immune defences. Healthline points to research suggesting that probiotics could help address the “incidence, duration, or severity” of five ailments.
These include: Covid-19, influenza, rotavirus, gastroenteritis, and common colds. Probiotics may also help diminish inflammation, which is connected to health issues including viral infections.
Yoghurt also contains trace minerals like zinc, magnesium, and selenium, which may support immune health. Furthermore, vitamin D-enriched yoghurt might additionally strengthen immune health, assisting the body in fighting illnesses like flu and common colds.