World's oldest woman says she subsists on eggs and cookies

The oldest person in the world credits these two unexpected items for keeping her alive.

(Image credit: iStock)

published 29 November 2016

Emma Morano celebrated a birthday Tuesday — but given she was born Nov. 29, 1899, the proceedings weren't exactly business as usual. Morano is the oldest woman alive, and Tuesday marked her 117th birthday.

Morano is thought to be the only known person alive born in the 19th century — and in her opinion, her longevity is thanks to her "being single and getting to bed early," The Independent reported. Morano has lived alone since she left her husband in 1938, and her only son died in infancy.

As for her diet, it's not exactly run-of-the-mill. "I eat two eggs a day, and that's it. And cookies. But I do not eat much because I have no teeth," she said in an interview with Agence France-Presse published last month. She's been eating two eggs — one raw and one cooked — every day since she was 20, and she avoids eating meat. She has yet to decide if she'll enjoy a slice of birthday cake Tuesday because she said she "did not feel good" after she ate "a little" last year.