World's oldest siblings credit minestrone soup for longevity

London, August 22 (ANI): Nine Sardinian siblings aged 818, who were recognised as the world's oldest in terms of combined age on Tuesday, have revealed that the secret of long life is minestrone soup.

The oldest member of the Melis family, Consolata, will be 105 on Wednesday, while the youngest of her siblings, Mafalda, nicknamed "the Little One" by her older sisters and brothers, is 78.

"To have such a large number of living siblings with an average age of more than 90 years is incredibly rare," the Guardian quoted the Guinness World Records editor in chief, Craig Glenday, as saying.

"We believe Ogliastra likely contains the highest number of centenarians per capita in the world," he said.

Scientists have to tried to work out what makes Sardinians live so long - 371 are over 100, or 22 for every 100,000 - and credit genetic heritage, frugal Mediterranean diet and a hardy lifestyle.

"We eat genuine food, meaning lots of minestrone and little meat and we are always working," said Alfonso Melis, 89, who narrowly escaped being captured by Nazi soldiers during the second world war and can be found today discussing bond spreads with customers in the cafe he runs, said/

"Every free moment I have I am down at my vineyard or at the allotment where I grow beans, aubergines, peppers and potatoes," he said.

"You just keep working and you eat minestrone, beans and potatoes," his older sister Claudia, 99, added. (ANI)