5. The cereal intended to reduce the libido
John Harvey Kellogg, a Seventh Day Adventist, advocated a vegetarian diet, daily exercise, total avoidance of the sins of alcohol and tobacco, and the reduction of sexual stimulation. In his view, a bland diet was essential to those worthy goals. As Chief Medical Officer of the Battle Creek Sanitarium, he operated an experimental kitchen. There, numerous new recipes and foods were developed by sanitarium staff. Among them were Kellogg’s Toasted Corn Flakes. Kellogg disagreed with his brother, Will Keith (W. K.) Kellogg over marketing the cereal. W. K. obtained the rights to the product, opened the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company, and later changed the name to Kellogg Toasted Corn Flake Company in 1909.
W. K. was not as open-minded as his brother. When John allowed a visitor, C. W. Post, observe the manufacture of corn flakes, Post left to start his own company, which eventually became General Foods. The brothers also argued over the addition of sugar to the product. John wanted the cereal to decrease stimulation and believed sugar to do the opposite. W. K. Kellogg’s company became international in his lifetime. Kellogg’s as a brand name arose from the dispute between two brothers. Today it is among the most recognizable brands in the world, and also owns other famous brands including Pringles, Eggo, and Nutri-grain, among many others. Through subsidiaries, the company markets yogurt. That’s singularly appropriate since John Harvey Kellogg advocated the consumption of a pint of yogurt following a water enema. A half-pint was to be taken orally, followed by a half-pint via yet another enema.