Supercentenarians Share 7 Diet Secrets That Helped Them Live to 100+

1. They drink tea.

Whether it’s first thing in the morning or just before getting ready for bed at night, putting the kettle on for a cup of tea is a daily comfort many enjoy. But for those who’ve made it to their 100th birthday, it could also be one of the keys to a long life.

According to Shitsui Hakoishi, a 107-year-old woman who lives in Nakagawa, Japan, a homemade blend is one of the top reasons she believes she’s still healthy. Her mixture includes dried Japanese ginger, dayflowers, and thistle, which she brews enough of to enjoy three cups of at every meal, The Washington Post reports.

And she’s not alone: Dietitians point out that tea is often a dietary staple in Blue Zones, which describes areas with an especially high concentration of residents who live past 100, Real Simple reports. Researchers credit antioxidants in the brews that could help promote a wide range of health benefits, from cardiovascular and brain to gut and immunity.

3. They eat more fruits and vegetables.

The emphasis on eating plenty of fruits and vegetables starts in early childhood. However, keeping them a focus in your diet could have some long-term effects, too.

According to Bikram Singh Grewal, a man from Chandigarh, Punjab, India, who lived to be 100, incorporating five fruits and five vegetables into his meals every day was something he believed brought him a longer life, per WaPo. But he also said it was important to incorporate other health considerations.

“I believe it is a combination of a good diet, exercise, and a fixed sleep schedule that can help anyone in reaching the age of 100,” he said in an interview.

3. They eat legumes.

Leafy greens may not be the only plant-based products you want to incorporate into your longevity diet: It might also involve eating plenty of beans and lentils.

One of the most notable examples comes from the Melis family from Sardinia, Italy, who once held the Guinness World Record as “the longest-living family in the world.” According to Dan Buettner, an award-winning author and researcher who coined the term Blue Zones, the group would all eat a three-bean minestrone soup for lunch every day, along with whole-grain sourdough bread and a small glass of wine.

In an interview with CNN last year, Buettner explained this is far from the only example of this dietary trend.

"In every blue zone I have visited, beans and other legumes were—and still are—a major component of the daily diet," he told the news network.

4. They avoid processed foods when they can.

Because of the way modern food systems have developed, it can be surprisingly hard to avoid consuming too many processed foods, even if you’re being careful. However, there’s living proof that doing so could result in a longer life.

In a recent interview with Today.com, Dorothy Staten, a 106-year-old woman from El Paso, Texas, said she credits her long life with what she eats. The former “professional cook” says this involves emphasizing plant-based products and unprocessed food, including carrots, greens, spinach, broccoli, watermelon, and canteloupe. She added that she also eats chicken and fish for a balance of protein.

Other centenarians agree with avoiding processed meals. In a recent interview, Ethel Harrison, granddaughter of 114-year-old Houston resident Elizabeth Francis, said her grandmother withheld from eating fast food.

"I never saw her go to a fast food restaurant much, as like Chick-fil-A and all the places I liked to go," Harrison told Houston ABC affiliate KTRK. "She never did that."

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5. Eggs are a staple.

Eggs can be a great go-to source of protein morning, day, and night, thanks in no small part to their versatility. And some people who’ve lived past their 100th birthday can count the kitchen staple as a core part of their diets. This includes Emma Morano, an Italian woman who passed away in 2017 after reaching the age of 117.

In an interview with AFP News Agency, Carlo Bava, Morano’s doctor of 27 years, revealed that his former patient always ate two raw eggs every morning before enjoying an omelet at noon for lunch, per the BBC.

Morano isn’t the only person to make it past a century on a steady diet of eggs. According to Louise Jean Signore, a woman from New York City who recently turned 112 years old, they factor in heavily to her daily diet.

“I don’t have much. I have eggs. I have bread with jam and tea, but that’s it,” she told the New York Post of her typical breakfast, adding that she often “doctors up” her lunches and dinners with “tomato sauce, or garlic and olive oil.”

6. They indulge in wine.

The jury may still be out on the long-term health benefits versus the risks associated with alcohol consumption. However, there are at least a few centenarians who count a regular drink with their longevity—specifically wine.

According to 104-year-old Evelyn Eales, a relatively stress-free lifestyle as a 40-year widow without children might be a top reason for her long life. But she also credits another daily indulgence.

"I drink wine every day—Franzia Chillable Red," she told ABC affiliate 40/29 News in an interview on her birthday in February, adding that she hopes the famously affordable producer “sends me a carton of wine" in honor of her admission.

Eales isn't the only one who's spoken of the benefits of wine, either. Edith "Edie" Ceccarelli—a woman who once held the title of the oldest person in America until she died last winter at age 116—said in an interview that her daily diet secret was to “have a couple of fingers of red wine with your dinner, and mind your own business," per The New York Times.

According to Buettner, the Malis family also enjoyed a small, 2 to 3-ounce glass of red wine with their daily minestrone and bread.

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7. They go back to basics.

With all of the health-focused food products and drinks on the market these days, it can be easy to forget that it’s not exactly a new segment. In fact, some products have been on the market for even longer than the centanarians who use them have been alive. One of these products if good ol’ Ovaltine.