The Melis family, known as the longest living family in the world, were said to have eaten the exact same meal every single day.
Nine siblings, collectively aged 861 as of January 2024, broke the Guinness World Record for longevity back in 2012.
From Sardinia, Italy, and made up of three brothers and six sisters, the eldest Melis was 109 years old at the time of Today.com's article published last year.
They lived in the Blue Zone areas, where health and long-life are the norm with people regularly living into their 90s and 100s.
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Author Dan Buettner has spent his life's work trying to learn more about these individuals, such as how they live and what they eat.
And in one of his social media posts, the writer revealed what the Melis family would consume on a regular basis.
What meal the Melis family ate every day
Taking to Instagram, Buettner claimed that the Melis family would swear by this meal every day:
• Sourdough bread
• Three bean minestrone (garbanzo, pinto, and white bean)
• Glass of red wine
Explaining the meal, Buettner said: "Every day of their life they had the same meal for their lunch.
"A sourdough bread, a three bean minestrone soup - a chunky minestrone with garden vegetables.
"It always had three beans; a garbanzo, a pinto and a white bean.
"And then they had a small glass of red wine. I'm talking a two to three-ounce glass.
"Now this wasn't because 'my diet requires me to do it'. No, they loved it."
Why Melis' three bean minestrone recipe was so healthy
Samantha Cassetty, a New York City dietitian, told Today.com: "People who live the longest, healthiest lives tend to eat half a cup to a cup of beans daily.
"It's also noteworthy that the soup uses three types of beans and multiple vegetables.
"Research suggests that eating 30 unique plant foods per week can improve your gut diversity, a marker of a healthy gut.
"Your gut regulates health functions, like blood pressure and cholesterol, inflammation, mood, weight and nutrient absorption, so you’ll be more likely to live a longer and healthier life if you have a healthy gut."
Where are the Melis family now?
As of 2024, four members of the family are known to have passed away.
The Guardian reported that Consolata Melis died in 2015 aged 108, and was her town’s longest-surviving citizen.
Consolata' sister, Claudina, passed in 2016 at the age 103, while Maria and Antonio died at died at 100 and 97 respectively.
Topics: Food And Drink, Health, World News, Instagram
Anish Vij