The #1 Drink The World's Oldest Man Had Every Day
As we become older, we do everything we can to ensure our lives are both our healthiest and our happiest. That's exactly what Francisco Núñez Olivera did to live to the age of 113, making him the world's oldest man before he passed in southwest Spain in 2018. So what exactly did he do to maintain such a long, fulfilling life? The Local Spain confirmed the answers with Olivera's family to learn more about how he lived a record-breaking long life—including the beverage he enjoyed most.
Of course, there's no denying this man had good genes, and he was hoping to pass down those genes to his four children, nine grandchildren, and fifteen great-grandchildren. Nevertheless, his family says that his diet also played a major role in living a long life.
In terms of his diet, Olivera frequently ate madeleines–a light sponge cake made with olive oil–for breakfast, enjoyed yogurt as a midday snack, had fish or meat stew for lunch, and finished the day with a special cereal and milk for dinner. But what was the key drink that was incorporated into his everyday life?
According to Olivera's family, drinking a glass of red wine every night was a key component to living well into his elder years.
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In fact, a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health shows consuming a light amount of alcohol long-term helped to lower cardiovascular and all-cause mortality risk and increased life expectancy. Furthermore, although more studies need to confirm this part of the study, light wine intake was associated with a five-year longer life expectancy.
Another study published in the British Journal of Nutrition suggests that flavonoids- bioactive compounds that help your body function more efficiently while protecting it against everyday toxins and stressors, as well as powerful antioxidant agents that are found in red wine also have been linked to reduced mortality from specific vascular diseases and cancers.
Olivera's daughter also told The Local Spain that her father lived through a gentle routine in a quiet village. He was his own boss who didn't argue with his family and overall just enjoyed his life of working on the field, his house, and in the village's bar.
To learn more about the effects of red wine, take a look at What Happens When You Drink A Glass of Wine Every Night.
