The entire world knows about Kellogg’s Corn Flakes but not many of us know enough about the person who invented this extremely popular food. And… we are pretty darn sure that of those who know the person behind this food are unaware of the actual reason why it was invented in the first place. So, let us learn 20 interesting John Harvey Kellogg facts and find out the real reason for invention of corn flakes.
Interesting John Harvey Kellogg Facts: 1-10
1. An American medical doctor by profession, John Harvey Kellogg hailed from Battle Creek, Michigan.
2. He was born on February 26, 1852, Kellogg was a nutritionist and physician who strongly advocated vegetarianism.
3. John along with his brother Will Keith Kellogg invented the world famous breakfast cereal – corn flakes.
4. John Harvey ran a sanitarium known by the name Battle Creek Sanitarium. The sanitarium was run using holistic methods and Kellogg’s primary focus always used to be on exercise, enemas and nutrition.
5. Kellogg received his graduate degree from New York University School of Medicine in 1875.
6. Oglethorpe University gave him honorary degree in Doctor of Public Service in 1937.
7. Kellogg married Ella Ervilla Eaton in 1879 but the two of them never had any biological children. They legally adopted 8 children and were foster parents of a total of 42 children.
8. John Harvey Kellogg was a very prominent anti-masturbater. He was not only uncomfortable about sex but also believed that sex led to demise of spiritual, emotional and physical well-being of humans.
9. He personally never engaged in sex and this is the reason why he and his wife did not have any biological children. In fact, the two actually lived in two separate rooms.
10. Kellogg believed that sex with wife was bad and that masturbation was a sin. Kellogg actually wrote: “If illicit commerce of the sexes is a heinous sin, self-pollution is a crime doubly abominable.” Self-pollution referred to masturbation.
Interesting John Harvey Kellogg Facts: 11-20
11. Kellogg authored a book titled “Plain Facts for Old and Young: Embracing the Natural History and Hygiene of Organic Life”.
12. The book identified 39 different symptoms that would help to understand whether a person was plagued by masturbation or not.
13. Some of the symptoms included epilepsy, palpitation, acne, craving for spicy food, bad posture, boldness, stiff joints, mood swings, bashfulness, defective development and general infirmity.
14. He held the view that a person can actually overcome all these symptoms and kill the urge for masturbation with a proper healthy and nutritious diet.
15. According to him, the desire for sex was increased by several seasoned and flavored food as well as meat. He advocated eating nuts and cereals to overcome sexual desires.
16. While working with the sanitarium, Kellogg created what he called as “health treat”. Health treat was actually corn meal and oatmeal baked into biscuits and then broken down into tiny pieces. He named the health treat as ‘granula’.
17. Yet another dietary reformer named James Caleb Jackson was already marketing a product by the name granula and hence, Kellogg had to rename his product as ‘granola’.
18. Later, Kellogg went on to make a few more variants of cereal breakfasts of which one was corn flakes which became widely popular throughout the world. However, corn flakes was actually designed as anti-masturbatory ready-to-eat morning meal.
19. Corn flakes was not really palatable because of its pathetic taste and hence, John’s brother Will tried to introduce some sugar into it. John did not agree and hence, Will separately started selling the cereals by adding sugar. It was Will Kellogg who actually set up the business and formed the Kellogg company.
20. Unfortunately, as John Kellogg thought, the corn flakes did not really suppress the urge for self-exploration among masturbators and those who actually masturbate and still enjoy corn flakes think that addition of sugar was really a good idea as at least corn flakes became palatable.
Bonus Fact in John Harvey Kellogg facts:
Another invention by John Kellogg was the enema machine which was meant for ensuring that people had clean intestines. The machine was designed for running water through the bowel then followed by sending in a pint of yogurt.
The yogurt was half delivered from mouth and the other other half from anus. Luckily the machine never really picked up because yogurt being delivered into intestine through anal passage is way too much of dietary reform!