Hello, I'm an expert in the field of food history and nutrition. Let's dive into the origins and purpose behind the creation of corn flakes.

Corn flakes were initially developed in the late 19th century by two American physicians, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg and his brother Dr. Will Keith Kellogg. They were working at the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan, which was a health-focused facility that promoted vegetarianism and healthy living.

The primary purpose of creating corn flakes was twofold:


1. Health Benefits: The Kellogg brothers were looking for a nutritious and easily digestible food that could be served to their patients. They believed that a bland, easily digested diet would help in the recovery and health of their patients. Corn flakes were part of a broader effort to create vegetarian foods that were free from the stimulants and spices that were common in the diet of the time.


2. Religious and Moral Reasons: The sanitarium was run with a strong emphasis on the Seventh-day Adventist Church's principles, which included dietary restrictions and the belief in the benefits of a vegetarian diet. The Kelloggs were also concerned with the moral implications of a diet that was too pleasurable, as they believed that it could lead to overindulgence and other vices.

The process of making corn flakes involved cooking, pressing, and rolling corn into flaked shapes, and then baking it to remove the moisture and make it shelf-stable. The original version was not sweetened and was intended to be served with milk or cream.

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In 1906, Will Keith Kellogg, who served as the business manager of the sanitarium, decided to try to mass-market the new food. At his new company, Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company, he added sugar to the flakes to make them more palatable to a mass audience, but this caused a rift between his brother and him.read more >>