How We Got Corn Flakes

Dr. John Harvey Kellogg was a diet freak disgusted with America’s bad eating habits. In 1900, he ran the Battle Creek Sanitarium and promoted good digestion (along with daily enemas and celibacy, bragging about “remaining celibate for forty years of married life” – they didn’t ask his wife about it!) He decided to create a “health food” available by mail order, and with his wife and brother came up with toasted corn flakes. The most effective ad campaign for them told people “please don’t buy it because we can’t produce enough”