For centuries, people have searched for the secret to a long, healthy life — the hidden formula that allows a few rare individuals to defy time itself. Now, scientists studying the DNA of a remarkable woman who lived to the age of 117 believe they may have found some answers. Her name was Maria Branyas Morera, and the key to her longevity, researchers say, wasn’t just luck or good genes — it was a harmony between biology, lifestyle, and one simple food she swore by every single day.
Maria’s life spanned three different centuries. Born in San Francisco in 1907, she lived through two world wars, saw the rise and fall of empires, and watched humanity step into the digital age. When she was just eight years old, her family relocated to Catalonia, Spain, hoping for a quieter life. The journey was marred by tragedy when her father fell ill and died of tuberculosis shortly after their arrival. Yet Maria found her strength early — resilience shaped her childhood, and that same quiet determination carried her through every decade that followed.
By her thirties, she had married, raised children, and become the kind of person everyone in her community admired: calm, grounded, and endlessly curious. She lived a modest life, but she was deeply engaged with the world. Even in her later years, she kept her mind active — reading, journaling, and discussing politics and philosophy with anyone willing to listen. When she turned 110, she joked that the secret to her long life was “not dying before your time.” But behind that humor was something more profound.
Before her passing in 2024, Maria made a remarkable decision. She asked researchers to study her DNA, hoping that what they discovered might help others live longer, healthier lives. Scientists from the University of Barcelona and the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute accepted the challenge. What they found shocked them — Maria’s biology seemed to break all the usual rules of aging.
According to lead researcher Dr. Manel Esteller, Maria’s genetic profile revealed something almost paradoxical: she had aged, but her body had not deteriorated in the typical way. “Her data suggests that she managed to separate being old from being sick,” he explained. At 117, her cholesterol levels, cell activity, and inflammatory markers resembled those of someone decades younger. Even her immune system appeared unusually balanced, capable of fending off infections that would have easily weakened most people her age.
But it wasn’t just her DNA that fascinated the scientists — it was her lifestyle. Maria had never smoked, rarely drank alcohol, and walked every day, even well into her 100s. She believed movement kept the mind sharp and the body awake. She surrounded herself with her family, often saying that love was her “strongest medicine.” She also never allowed bitterness or stress to take hold. When asked how she stayed positive despite losing loved ones and living through a century of change, she replied simply, “By forgiving easily and laughing whenever I can.”
Yet one detail in her daily routine particularly caught researchers’ attention: her unwavering habit of eating yogurt every morning. Specifically, she favored a local Catalonian brand, La Fageda, made from natural ingredients and rich in probiotics. She credited it with keeping her stomach healthy — but scientists now think it may have done far more than that.
Probiotics, found in yogurt, have been linked to reducing inflammation, boosting immunity, and improving digestion — all crucial in slowing down the body’s aging process. In Maria’s case, her consistent consumption may have helped maintain what scientists now call a “youthful gut microbiome,” an internal ecosystem that influences everything from brain function to heart health. Combined with her simple diet — vegetables, olive oil, fruit, and the occasional fish — Maria’s routine created a perfect internal balance that medicine is only beginning to understand.
Her mornings also began with a homemade smoothie made from eight different cereals — oats, wheat, barley, rye, and other grains mixed with milk and honey. That drink provided a wide spectrum of nutrients, fiber, and slow-burning energy that stabilized her metabolism. “She nourished herself like someone decades ahead of her time,” Dr. Esteller said.
The deeper the researchers went, the more remarkable the discoveries became. One of the most astonishing findings came from analyzing her telomeres — the tiny protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that shorten as we age. Normally, telomeres wear down over time, leading to cellular damage, inflammation, and age-related diseases. But Maria’s telomeres were unusually long and intact, even at 117. This meant her cells were still dividing and regenerating far more effectively than those of the average elderly person.
Scientists believe this combination — her genetic stability, anti-inflammatory diet, low stress, and social connectedness — created what Dr. Esteller described as “a biological harmony that allowed her to live so long without chronic illness.” He summarized it perfectly: “The secret to long life is half inherited and half created.”
Maria’s extraordinary story has since inspired people around the world. In her final years, she became known affectionately as “The Super Grandmother of Catalonia.” Her sharp wit and gentle presence touched thousands online; she shared her reflections on aging through short videos, encouraging others to live fully at every stage of life. “Don’t chase youth,” she once said. “Chase peace.”
Even now, her legacy continues through the scientific research her life inspired. The study of her genome has already led to promising new avenues in aging research — particularly in understanding how diet, microbiome health, and stress resilience interact with our DNA. Scientists hope these insights could one day lead to treatments that slow cellular aging or prevent degenerative diseases before they begin.
But beyond the science, Maria’s story carries a simpler truth — that longevity isn’t just about the number of years you live, but how you fill them. She taught her children and grandchildren that health isn’t something granted by chance; it’s something cultivated through small, daily choices.
Those who knew her best say she was happiest in the garden, watering her flowers in the early morning light, a bowl of yogurt on the table beside her. Even at 115, she would greet neighbors with a smile and a kind word. “She never complained,” said her granddaughter. “She saw each day as a gift.”
In an era obsessed with quick fixes and miracle supplements, Maria’s example is both grounding and profound. Her “secret” wasn’t hidden in a pill or potion — it was in living with purpose, staying connected to family, eating with balance, and facing life with gratitude.
As scientists continue to analyze her DNA, one thing remains clear: Maria Branyas Morera didn’t just live a long life — she lived it beautifully. Her story reminds us that longevity isn’t measured only by years, but by the grace with which we carry them.
And perhaps that is the truest secret of all.