Betty White’s Secret for Long Life Was Counterintuitive—She Avoids Eating ‘Anything Green’
Betty White got in one last joke before her death on New Year’s Eve, 2020. The 99-year-old actor was well known for her sense of humor, and now she’s had the last laugh. White was going to turn 100 on January 17th, and died just after People Magazine published her on their cover, with the headline “Betty White at 100.”
White would have undoubtedly gotten a good chuckle at the magazine printing so many erroneous covers, but she left the world with even more comedy gems in her last interview. According to People, White claimed her secret to a long life was not eating “anything green.”
Betty White died at 99 years old
White’s illustrious career began all the way back in 1939. She was just 17 years old at the time. Those early roles weren’t exactly noteworthy. According to IMDb, some of White’s first gigs weren’t even credited. Her big break came in the 1950s, with the television show Life with Elizabeth. She played the titular role and apparently impressed. Her career grew from there, and never really stopped growing.
One of her most noteworthy roles today was as Rose in The Golden Girls. She landed that part in 1992 and was already a legend. White was 70 when she joined Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty to tackle social issues no one was talking about. The Golden Girls was timeless and brave, just like White herself.
According to Betty White, there’s one trick to living to 99
In her last interview with People, White told them how she managed to make it to 99. According to White, she doesn’t eat green food. That means no vegetables and no salads. Obviously, it was a joke, but maybe not much of one. White mentioned in a 2018 interview that she still consumed vodka and hot dogs, even though no doctor would recommend it.
White also said her optimism has helped keep her going. She was grateful to have made it to 99 in relatively good shape. “I’m so lucky to be in such good health and feel so good at this age,” she told People. If White did have a secret to a long life, however, she didn’t share it with People.
What was Betty White’s real secret?
It’s impossible to say how White managed to make it to 99 years old. Not only did White live almost a full century, she was relatively healthy and active right up until the end. It could have been good genes or her active lifestyle. Maybe White’s penchant for a good time was the secret to a long life. She did what she loved, and never stopped.
Or maybe the secret to living a long life is being a good person. White was certainly that. She was a famous advocate for animal welfare, and advocated for racial justice long before being woke was cool.
All the way back in 1954, White stood up for Black dancer Arthur Duncan when some networks wanted him removed from her show. According to USA Today, White had her own variety show, aptly named The Betty White Show. It was Duncan’s first job, and when some southern stations threatened not to air the show, White stood firm. She refused to take Duncan off, and in fact, used him more. Duncan would become a legend, thanks in large part to White.
