Emma Martina Luigia Morano, born on 29 November 1899, got to live to 117, making it the world’s oldest woman.

She died in 2017, in Italy, where she had lived her entire life.

Morano was the eldest of eight siblings and outlived them all. The story of her enduring life stunned the world and many were eager to learn the secret behind her longevity.

There have only been 12 more verified cases of people reaching Morano’s age.
Asked about her life and health, Morano once said it was due to genetics and a specific diet that included eating three eggs a day, two of which raw.

Morano only cut to two eggs per day and a couple of biscuits during the last years of her life.

According to her doctor, she barely ate any fruits and vegetables.

“When I met her, she ate three eggs per day, two raw in the morning and then an omelette at noon, and chicken at dinner,” Carlo Bava, Morano’s doctor of 27 years said.

According to the Mirror, Morano included in her diet a special touch of grappa—an Italian liquor—prepared with herbs like sage and rue, along with some grapes. 

Throughout her life, which she had described as tough, she experienced an abusive marriage and the death of her only child. Morano lived through more than 90 different Italian governments and two World Wars.

The world’s oldest woman said that her longevity was part due to her decision to kick out her husband in 1938.

In fact, she was dragged into the marriage by threats, and didn’t want to be married after a boy she liked died in the war.

Although she and her abusive husband separated in 1938, they stayed married until his passing in 1978. She never remarried.

“I didn’t want to be dominated by anyone,” she told

Morano’s mother lived to 91 and most of her siblings reached to be centenarians.