World's longest-lived family swear by soup that could help you live to 100

19 September 2023 , 16:56

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The soup is a firm favourite among Sicilian families (Image: Getty Images)

Those looking for the secret to a long life don't necessarily need to go searching for the elixir of life after all, as the power may well lie in a simple bowl of soup. This is according to the Melis siblings who, in 2012, were named the world's oldest siblings in terms of combined age, by the Guinness World Records committee.

According to the nine Melis siblings, who had a total of 818 years between them at the time, dining on Sardinia Minestrone helped them achieve their great ages. The eldest sister, Consolata Melis, celebrated her 105th birthday shortly after breaking the record, while the baby of the family, Mafalda, was 78 at the time. Sardinia Minestrone is known to be a staple in the diets of many long-lived families in Sardinia, an Italian island where inhabitants are known for living long, healthy lives.

This very special soup can be made using seasonal vegetables, ideally picked fresh from the garden, and will always include plenty of beans and fregula, a type of Sardinian pasta made from semolina dough.

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Speaking with The Guardian at the time of their staggering achievement, Alfonso Melis, then 89, said: "We eat genuine food, meaning lots of minestrone and little meat and we are always working. [...] Every free moment I have I am down at my vineyard or at the allotment where I grow beans, aubergines, peppers, and potatoes." His older sister Claudia, then 99, agreed: "You just keep working and you eat minestrone, beans, and potatoes."

Diet is believed to be one of the key reasons why so many people in Sardinia live to celebrate their 100th birthday, with Sardinians typically enjoying plenty of fresh seasonal greens, beans, fruit, and whole grains. Although we cannot all up sticks and live out the Sardinian lifestyle, we can incorporate some of this way of life into our weekly meal planning.

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A recipe published on the Blue Zones website is said to serve eight to 10 people, meaning you'll likely have enough to feed your family with leftovers. The recipe description reads as follows: "A bountiful dish that is eaten every day for lunch by some of the world's longest-lived families in Sardinia, Italy. It can be made with seasonal vegetables from the garden, but always includes beans and fregula, a toasted pebble-size semolina pasta that is popular in Sardina." To whip up a batch for yourself, check out the full recipe here

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Julia Banim