Breakfast Foods: Land of Plenty … of Stomachaches

When most of the population was performing heavy labor on farms, the huge breakfasts that Americans consumed made some sense. But as people moved into the city and took up a more sedentary life, yet still ate as though they were working on the farm, there was trouble. It was no wonder that dyspepsia became one of the most common complaints of the 1800s. To the rescue of suffering dyspeptics came Sylvester Graham, who had learned about the gastric benefits of whole wheat from the Shakers. Graham’s work made what would come to be known as “Graham” flour a common item in the nineteenth-century pantry. Although graham crackers would be his most lasting contribution, Graham gems, Graham muffins, and Graham bread made with his flour all became common breakfast fare in the 1800s.