A woman who lived to the incredible age of 117 ate one food that scientists believe could have contributed to her long life.
When Maria Branyas Morera passed away in 2024 at the age of 117 years and 168 days, she held the title of the world’s oldest person.
Before her death, Branyas asked doctors to study her body.
Samples of blood, saliva, urine, and stool were collected at different times, giving scientists a unique opportunity to explore the biology of extreme aging.
A Rare Genetic Profile
According to researchers at the University of Barcelona and the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Branyas carried rare genetic variants linked to longevity, immune function, and healthy heart and brain activity.
Dr. Manel Esteller, chairman of Genetics at the University of Barcelona’s School of Medicine, explained: “The conclusion is that the clues for extreme longevity are a mix between what we inherited from our parents and what we do in our lives.
"And this mix, the percentage depends, but it can be ... half and half.”
Branyas “had very good genes that protect against many disorders, many genetic variants that nobody has seen before,” Esteller said.
Her cells, scientists noted, “felt” or “behaved” much younger than her chronological age.
She exceeded the life expectancy of women in Catalonia by more than 30 years.
Yogurt, Olive Oil, and a Healthy Gut
While her DNA gave her an advantage, lifestyle also played a key role.
Branyas avoided smoking and drinking alcohol, instead following a Mediterranean diet rich in fish, olive oil, and especially yogurt.
She ate three plain yogurts daily, which Esteller said helped replenish “good bacteria” in the gut, reducing inflammation — one of the leading causes of aging and disease.
“These are good bacteria that provide an advantage to humans,” Esteller explained.
In fact, Branyas once posted online about her love for yogurt, saying it “gives life.”
The study added: “Whether the dominance of the Bifidobacterium [beneficial gut bacteria] related genus is fully attributable or not to the yogurt diet cannot be completely confirmed...
"However, we believe that it is likely that a beneficial effect of yogurt ingestion via modulation of the gut ecosystem could have contributed to her well-being and advanced age.”
Low Inflammation, Strong Immunity
Despite her advanced years, Branyas showed markers of health often seen in much younger people.
Scientists observed excellent cardiovascular health, very low levels of inflammation, high levels of “good” cholesterol, and extremely low levels of “bad” cholesterol and triglycerides.
Her immune system and gut microbiome also resembled those of younger cohorts. These factors, researchers say, may have helped her avoid diseases that commonly affect older people.
Remarkably, she lived free of cancer, dementia, and major cardiovascular issues.
The Telomere Mystery
One surprising discovery was a “huge erosion” in Branyas’ telomeres — the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes. Short telomeres are usually linked to aging and a higher risk of death.
But in her case, scientists believe shorter telomeres may have helped protect her from cancer by limiting the lifespan of her cells, making it harder for tumors to proliferate.
“The picture that emerges from studying Branyas shows that extremely advanced age and poor health are not intrinsically linked and that both processes can be distinguished and dissected at the molecular level,” Esteller and his colleagues wrote in Cell Reports Medicine.
Another team of epigeneticists, Eloy Santos-Pujol and Aleix Noguera-Castells, added: “The picture that emerges from our study, although derived only from this one exceptional individual, shows that extremely advanced age and poor health are not intrinsically linked.”
Researchers caution that aging is “highly individualized” and that conclusions from a single person should be taken with care. Still, studying supercentenarians like Branyas provides valuable insight into human longevity.
Maria Branyas Morera was born in San Francisco in 1907 before moving to Spain at age 8. She survived two world wars, two pandemics, and raised three children. By the time of her passing, she had 13 great-grandchildren.